COMMERCIAL PARKING LOT ADA COMPLIANCE
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires additional accessibility features in parking lots, and it’s your job as a property manager to ensure your lots comply with these laws. You need to include features like parking stalls with access aisles and curb ramps for wheelchair use.
Navigating ADA compliance in your commercial property’s parking lot can be challenging, but ToriTom Services offers the support you need.
Parking Lot ADA Compliance
As a property manager, it is important to take particular note of the ADA Compliance laws. These laws apply irrespective of property size and in the case of property managers, the correct number of adequately signed and handicapped-accessible parking stalls must be available with the required number of van parking spaces.
Failure to be ADA compliant with pavement markings, signage, ramp requirements and the like can leave you liable for fines and penalties — and possibly lawsuits.
Why ADA Compliance Is Important
As a responsible Property Manager, you will obviously want to comply not just because of regulation, but because it shows the tenants you manage and their guests, particularly those with disabilities, that you care about them. Pursuing ADA compliance demonstrates that every visitor is valued while they are on the property.
ADA compliance is crucial to ensuring that all visitors have enough parking space and can safely exit their vehicles without being too close to dangerous traffic. Without ADA-compliant design, your facility risks creating a confusing and dangerous navigation experience, increasing the potential for traffic accidents.
On the legal side, failure to comply with ADA guidelines invites the risk of having pedestrians file complaints, and businesses that fail to meet ADA standards are subject to fines of up to $150,000.
When you take time to implement ADA compliance strategies and prioritize visitors, you can boost your commercial property’s reputation and reduce liability. As a property manager or commercial tenant, you stand to gain a great deal by focusing on compliance to keep others safe and improve your commercial lot’s functionality.
Maintaining ADA-Compliant Parking Lots With ToriTom Services
Maintaining ADA compliance demands an understanding of the necessary accessibility features. ADA laws require accessible car and van parking, free assistance, ramps for curbs and sidewalks, clear handicap signage and safe surfaces for wheelchair use.
There are many different elements that go into these regulations, like the correct slope for wheelchair ramps and the required widths for parking stalls. For example, car spaces must have a 60-inch access aisle, while van spaces need a 96-inch aisle. The international accessibility symbol must be prominently displayed at the front of the space to mark it for handicap use. Adjacent aisles need clear striping to indicate an accessway, and these spots have to be the shortest distance from the building’s entrance.
If you have sidewalks on your property, you must have ramps integrated into the walkway. These ramps must have a uniform slope no greater than 1:12. The width must be at least 36 inches, and you must include handrails if the ramp rises more than 6 inches.
At ToriTom Services, we’re familiar with the requirements under ADA regulations, and we can help you ensure the parking lots and sidewalks of the properties you manage meet all applicable accessibility standards. Our services supporting ADA compliance include:
- Installation of ADA-compliant curb ramps
- Concrete and asphalt repairs
- Resurfacing and pothole repair
- Parking lot striping under accessibility guidelines
To keep a commercial parking lot easily navigable and compliant with ADA laws, you should regularly repaint your parking lot lines so that they’re clear and bright. You’ll also want to keep up with your surface maintenance to ensure wheelchairs can easily navigate your parking lot and sidewalks.
We have reproduced the basic ADA Compliance Regulations, which can be downloaded from our site by clicking on the leaflet icon at the top of the page (You can also visit www.ada.gov for more information.).
The ADA also requires that locations must have enough accessible parking spots. This table shows how many accessible spaces are needed.
| Total Parking Spaces Provided |
Required Number of Accessible Spaces |
| 1-25 | 1 |
| 26-50 | 2 |
| 51-75 | 3 |
| 76-100 | 4 |
| 101-150 | 5 |
| 151-200 | 6 |
| 201-300 | 7 |
| 301-400 | 8 |
| 401-500 | 9 |
| 501-1,000 | 2% of total |
| 1001+ | 20 plus 1 for every 100 spaces |
Contact ToriTom Services for ADA Concrete Sidewalk Ramps and More
At ToriTom Services, we understand the many requirements for ADA compliance, and we’re prepared to install ramps, repair concrete and asphalt, resurface pavement and stripe your lot to help you meet them. As a family-owned and -operated business, we take pride in the work we do, and we want your properties to be accessible to everyone.
We operate in several areas across Florida, including Tampa and Orlando. Our team is dedicated to responsive customer service, ongoing project communication and pricing transparency. When you work with ToriTom Services, you choose a partner in long-term property management.
Get in touch with us today to learn more about our services for maintaining ADA compliance.