Accessibility Standards have been changing over the past several years. The Minnesota State Council on Disability has prepared this quick reference guide to help you ensure that your parking is accessible to all of your customers, clients, tenants, and employees. It’s good business!
Disability Parking Quick Reference Design Guide
Most accessible parking spaces created prior to July 2007 were permitted to have access aisles only 5 feet wide, however in 2007 the code changed to require 8-foot access aisles in all new and reconfigured disability parking spaces. Technically, accessible parking areas with 5- foot access aisles that have not been sealcoated, resurfaced, or reconfigured in any way may be re-painted with 5-foot access aisles, however, in January of 2015 the Minnesota State Building Code, Chapter 1341 was updated with the following language: Restriping. Renewing existing parking striping shall be allowed. New striping, due to sealcoating, resurfacing, reconfiguration of parking spaces, or other reason, shall provide accessible spaces in compliance with sections 1106.1 to 1106.7. If you own or operate a parking lot that is out of compliance with updated codes, the Minnesota State Council on Disability encourages you to update your accessible parking areas. Compliance with current code minimizes your risks of complaints and litigation AND it’s good business!
One in every six accessible spaces must be van-accessible, having a minimum vertical clearance of 98 inches. Accessible parking spaces must:
- Be at least 8 feet wide;
- Have a permanently mounted sign centered at the head of the space between 60” minimum and 66” maximum above the ground measure to the bottom of the sign. The sign shall be at least 12” x 18” and look exactly like the image at right.
- Have an adjacent access aisle (preferably on the passenger side if there is only one accessible space) that is at least 8 feet wide. Van parking spaces that are angled shall have access aisles located on the passenger side of the parking space. A permanently mounted “No Parking” sign shall be centered at the head of the access aisle space UNLESS that sign would obstruct a curb ramp or pedestrian route, in which case “No Parking” shall be painted on the access aisle surface. (The sign may also be posted on a building at the head end of the access aisle as long as it’s not more than 8 feet away, mount at same height as above.)
- The slope of each accessible parking space and access aisle must not exceed 1:48. Slope of curb ramps must not exceed 1:12. ?
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Traffic Signs for Minneapolis, St Paul and greater MN since 1988