Sponsor Spotlight – INSPEC 

Fore more information about INSPEC,
please reach out to Jason Popovich – jpopovich@inspec.com

INSPEC’s ADA Guidelines & Requirements

As you may have heard already, there have been a rash of lawsuits in this area related to certain features at a site not complying with current ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) requirements.   These non-conforming items tend to usually be related to: not enough ADA parking stalls, improper striping or signage for these ADA stalls, and the slope of the ADA parking stalls and/or curb ramps or sidewalks along the accessible route to the building being too steep.   In addition, many people are not aware that Minnesota (and other states) have some ADA requirements that go above and beyond the federal ADA guidelines.  While there are a plethora of potential ADA issues at any site, below are some quick items related to Minnesota’s ADA guidelines for your information:

• Disability parking stalls each need to be 8 feet wide, and the adjacent access aisle also needs to be 8 feet wide.
• A standard disability parking sign is required for each stall, and the access aisles now need a “No Parking – Access Aisle” sign or (if the sign would create a physical obstacle to people using the curb ramp or sidewalk) the “No Parking – Access Aisle” language can be painted on the parking lot in front of the aisle.
• The slope of a disability parking stall, and the adjacent access aisle, cannot exceed 2% in any direction.
• The number of required disability parking stalls for a site is determined by looking at each parking facility (such as a parking lot) individually – you do not add up all of the parking stalls for the entire site and then use the table to determine the number of required disability parking stalls.  Once the proper number is determined, they should be placed closest to the accessible entrance(s) or route(s) to the building – you do not need to put disability parking stalls in every parking lot.
• The maximum slope of a curb ramp is 8.33%, or 1 in 12.  Given most curbs are 6 inches tall, that means the curb ramp would need to be at least 6 feet deep to meet this slope requirement.
• The side slope of an accessible route to a building is 2%, and the maximum slope along the direction of travel for an accessible walk is 5%.

If you haven’t done so already, you should consider having a qualified firm perform an ADA audit of your properties.  Compared the cost of a potential lawsuit, they are relatively inexpensive and having one done will either make you aware of specific ADA issues at the site that should be corrected or give you peace of mind that the site meets all current requirements as-is.

If you would like an assessment of your paved areas, or for more information, please contact:

Jason Popovich

Business Development / Marketing

INSPEC

Smart Engineering of Roofs, Walls/Windows, Pavements, Waterproofing

5801 Duluth Street,  Minneapolis, MN 55422

O. 763-546-3434 F. 763-546-8669  C. 952-843-3322

jpopovich@inspec.com  www.inspec.com

Take this quick quiz to see how much you know (or don’t know) about Americans with Disabilities Act requirements:

1. What is different with a “Van Accessible” disability parking stall versus a regular disability parking stall?
2. A) The parking stall is wider
3. B) The adjacent access aisle is wider
4. C) They have at least 96 inches of vertical clearance

2. What is the maximum allowable slope in any direction for a disability parking stall?
3. A) 1%
4. B) 2%
5. C) 5%

3. Do disability parking stalls need to have the wheelchair symbol painted on the pavement?
4. A) Yes
5. B) No

4. What is the minimum width of an accessible route?
5. A) 3 feet
6. B) 4 feet
7. C) 5 feet

5. How high does a disability parking sign need to be installed?
6. A) 42 to 48 inches to the bottom of the sign
7. B) 52 to 58 inches to the bottom of the sign
8. C) 60 to 66 inches to the bottom of the sign

Answers: 1=c, 2=b, 3=b, 4=a, 5=c