Striping a parking lot requires good attention to detail, from painting to controlling the flow of traffic to following state and municipal codes. This also includes ensuring your parking lot is ADA-compliant. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed in 1990, making discrimination based on race, religion, sex, national origin, and other characteristics against the law. Because of this, public accommodations—such as public parking lots—must meet certain accessibility requirements. Explore the basics of an ADA-compliant parking lot.

Ins and Outs of an ADA-Compliant Parking Lot
The ADA is a federal law so all parking lots must adhere to it no matter the state. However, municipal or state building codes may be more intense than the ADA’s regulations.

An ADA-compliant parking lot, as outlined in the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, must have:

  • There must be one accessible spot, painted as such and with signage, for every 25 parking spots. 
  • A car-accessible space must be at least 8 feet wide with an access aisle of at least 5 feet, for a total width of 13 feet.
  • For parking lots with 501 to 1,000 spaces, accessible spaces should make up 2 percent of all spaces.
  • For parking lots with 1,001 spaces or more, 20 spaces must be accessible, plus one for every 100 spaces over 1,000.
  • Accessible parking spaces should be located at the shortest acceptable route to the building, which offers the easiest access.
  • A minimum of one of every six accessible parking spaces must be van-accessible, which is 8 feet wide and next to an 8-foot access aisle for a total of 16 feet; if your parking lot only has one accessible parking space, then it must be van-accessible.
  • Access aisles can be shared by two accessible parking spaces.
  • The parking surfaces in the accessible spaces and access aisles have to be firm, stable, slip-resistant, it cannot include changes in levelness, and it can only have a slope up to 1:48-inch.
  • Pedestrian routes, including for those parking in an accessible spot, must be marked with paint that contrasts with the parking lot surface.
  • Each accessible space must include a 5-foot-high sign designating it as accessible with the international symbol of accessibility, with van-accessible spaces being marked as such.

Tucker Paving has over 25 years of experience?in the?asphalt and concrete paving industry, and we are well-versed in meeting ADA requirements for residential, commercial, and municipal construction regarding parking lots, sidewalks, curbs, and more. Contact us today by calling?(863) 299-2262, or?fill out our?contact form?online, and let us help you with your next concrete or asphalt paving or striping project!?