Standard Specifications of Parking Spaces for the Handicapped
Standard specifications for handicapped parking spaces changed drastically in 1990, the year the U.S. Congress passed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The legislation was a watershed event in U.S. history. It provided civil rights protection for disabled individuals similar to that awarded to blacks in the 1960s. The ADA provides up to $15,000 in tax credits to businesses for improvements to inaccessible parking spaces. Several states have passed legislation expanding the requirements set forth in the ADA. The ADA applies to businesses, governments and private entities that offer public accommodations.
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Number of Spaces
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The total number of handicapped parking spaces that must be provided is tiered, based on the total number of public parking spaces offered by a business. The general rule is one in eight. For every eight public parking spaces, one must be designated as handicapped. At least one space must be large enough to park a van. Businesses with 500 to 1,000 available parking spaces must designate 2 percent as handicapped. For 1,001 or more, the ratio is 20 handicapped spaces and one van space.
Location
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ADA legislation states that handicapped parking spaces must be positioned in the area of a parking lot that provides the closest proximity to the accessible entrance of a building. If the route to that entrance requires an individual to cross a traffic lane, then businesses must provide an aisle that is marked and designated as handicapped.
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Size
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The ADA requires that standard handicapped parking spaces measure 96 inches wide and have a 62-inch access aisle. The spaces must be level and cannot exceed a 2 percent slope in every direction. Van accessible spaces must also measure 96 inches wide, but must also include a 96-inch-wide access aisle. Parking lot owners have the option to forgo the automobile and van spaces in favor of the universal option. Under the universal option, all spaces must measure 132 inches in width and include a 60-inch access aisle.
Signage
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All signage designating handicapped parking spaces must be visible from the driver's side window of a car or van, positioned at least 60 inches from the ground. All signs must include the international accessibility symbol, a figure sitting in a wheelchair. The ADA does not require any symbols or signs on the pavement near a sign. Special signage is required to inform drivers that a space is van accessible, but van spaces do not have to be restricted for van use only.
Vertical Clearance
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Parking spaces designated for van use must have a vertical clearance of at least 98 inches not only for the space itself, but also for the driving route to the space and from the space to an exit. A 114-inch vertical clearance must be provided at all accessible passenger loading zones.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit handicapped sign image by sonya etchison from Fotolia.com
