Choosing an ADA Concrete Contractor to Create Accessible Parking

Having a parking lot that is ADA compliant is a lot more than just having the International Symbol of Accessibility painted in blue and white on the concrete pavement. It is the right step in creating an accessible parking lot; however, there is more to it. An ADA Contractor can tell you everything about what it needs to make the parking facility in your premises ADA compliant

According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the number of accessible parking spaces for differently-abled people, i.e. accessible parking spaces in a parking lot, depends on the total number of parking spaces available.

ADA compliance is necessary to ensure that the parking premises are accessible to everyone, including those with disabilities. Failure to comply with the ADA guidelines for creating accessible parking can result in penalties and civil lawsuits. For this purpose, it is best to hire a professional and expert ADA Contractor

How many accessible parking spaces are actually needed in the parking lots?

A Parking lot is where accessibility to a place of public accommodation or a building starts. For being ADA compliant, the parking lot needs to have a minimum number of accessible parking spaces as per the ADA Standards of Accessible Design passed by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) in 2010. It mentions that 1 out of every six accessible parking spaces needs to be van-accessible. According to this rule, if there is only one accessible parking space in the building, it needs to be a van-accessible parking space for ADA compliance.

Places of public accommodation having parking facilities must ensure that they not only have the required number of accessible parking spaces as per the ADA guidelines but also have the right number of van-accessible parking spaces. For example, a parking lot with 500 total parking spaces needs a minimum of 9 accessible parking spaces, and two of those nine spaces must be van-accessible parking spaces.

What makes the parking space accessible?

Hire an expert ADA Contractor and he will tell you that for creating an accessible parking space according to the ADA Standards,different parameters need to be considered. Here are some parameters that an ADA Contractor considers when creating a parking lot or renovating an existing one.

Accessible parking signage

All accessible parking spaces in a parking lot need to have the International Symbol of Accessibility sign. The minimum dimensions for the signage are 12 inches x 18 inches. It also needs to be at least 60 inches above the parking surface so that it does not face any obstruction invisibility.

Dimensions

The accessible parking space needs to have a minimum width of eight feet. The adjacent access aisle to the parking space should be five feet wide. Common aisle access can be shared by two spaces. For a parking space to be considered van-accessible, it needs to have a vertical clearance of minimum 98 inches.

Location

The accessible parking space needs to be in close proximity to the entrances and exits of both the parking lot and the building they serve.

Pavement markings

The access aisles next to the accessible parking must have diagonal hatch marks painted blue to indicate that it is not a parking space. A ‘No Parking’ pavement marking would also be perfect.

Slope of the pavement

The accessible parking space and the adjacent aisles should not have a slope of more than two percent in any direction. This means that for every 50 inches horizontal change, there can be only a one-inch vertical change in the pavement slope.

If your business premises is any place of public accommodation, it needs to have a parking facility that is ADA compliant. If you are unsure of ADA compliance for your existing parking lot, an ADA Contractor can help you in the inspection. An ADA Contractor can provide you with a detailed report of your parking facility and point of areas that need improvement as per the ADA Standards. Whether you have ADA questions or want to reconstruct your parking lot, an ADA Contractor is the best person to approach. Hiring an ADA Contractor means less stress and complete peace of mind.

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Why Wait to be "Forced" into ADA Compliance. If you are a public business or public property owner, save money, lawsuits, time and headaches by being prepared and avoiding it all in the first place. It’s time to call in the ADA pros. Use Protrk, an ADA construction expert, to Get it Done Right Prior to Forced Compliance. 

Call 415-813-9877 today or visit www.protrkconstruction.com for more details.