Parallel Street Parking as Defined by PROWAG

Parallel On-Street Parking Space

Recently the U.S. Access Board (USAB) issued its final rule on Public Right-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines (PROWAG) including parallel on-street parking.

R203.6.1.3, [Pedestrian Access Routes] Parallel On-Street Parking, states, “At parallel on-street parking spaces complying with the dimensions specified in R310.2.1, a curb ramp or blended transition shall be provided at either end of the parking space if needed to connect the parking space to a pedestrian access route.

R310.2.1, [On-Street Parking Spaces] Dimensions, states, “Parallel on-street parking spaces shall be 24 feet (7.3 m) long minimum and 13 feet (4.0 m) wide minimum. Parallel on-street parking spaces shall not encroach on the traveled way.”

EXCEPTIONS: 1. Where parallel on-street parking spaces are altered but the adjacent pedestrian circulation path is not, any accessible parallel on-street parking spaces provided may have the same dimensions as the adjacent parallel on-street parking spaces if they are provided nearest the crosswalk at the end of the block face or nearest a midblock crosswalk, and a curb ramp or blended transition is provided serving the crosswalk.

2. In alterations, where providing parallel on-street parking spaces with the dimensions specified in R310.2.1 would result in an available right-of-way width less than or equal to 9 feet (2.7 m), measured from the curb line to the right-of-way line, the accessible parallel on-street parking spaces may have the same dimensions as the adjacent parallel on-street parking spaces if they are provided nearest the crosswalk at the end of the block face or nearest a midblock crosswalk, and a curb ramp or blended transition is provided serving the crosswalk.”

R310.2.2, [On-Street Parking Spaces] Pedestrian Access Route Connection, states, “Parallel on-street parking spaces shall connect to pedestrian access routes. Where curb ramps and blended transitions are used, they shall not reduce the required width or length of the parking spaces and shall be located at either end of the parking space. Where two or more accessible parallel on-street parking spaces complying with the dimensions specified in R310.2.1 are contiguous on a block face, each accessible parallel on-street parking space shall have an independent connection to the pedestrian access route. Curb ramps and blended transitions shall be provided in accordance with R203.6.1.3 and shall comply with R304. Detectable warning surfaces are not required on curb ramps and blended transitions used exclusively to connect accessible on-street parallel parking spaces to pedestrian access routes.

EXCEPTION: In alterations, where parallel on-street parking spaces are provided in accordance with Exception 1 or 2 to R310.2.1, the parallel on-street parking space shall be connected to the curb ramp or blended transition serving the crosswalk by a pedestrian circulation path complying with R302.6, except that changes in level are not permitted.”

R310.2.4, [On-Street Parking Spaces] Clearance Adjacent to Parking Spaces, states, “The center 50 percent of the length of the sidewalk, or other surface, adjacent to an accessible parallel parking space shall be free of obstructions, including parking identification signs, parking pay meters, and parking pay stations, and shall comply with R302.6.”

R310.2.5, [On-Street Parking Spaces] Identification, states, “Parallel on-street parking spaces shall be identified by signs displaying the International Symbol of Accessibility [ISA] complying with R411. Signs shall be 60 inches (1525 mm) minimum above the ground surface measured to the bottom of the sign.”

These minimum guidelines will become enforceable once they are adopted, with or without modifications, as mandatory standards under the ADA by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), or the four Federal agencies that set standards for the Federal Government under the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA).

SUMMARY: PROWAG provides guidance for on-street parallel parking that requires the parking space to be 24 feet long and 13 feet wide, minimum, with some exceptions. The accessible parallel parking space must connect to a pedestrian access route, most likely using a curb ramp or a blended transition. The center 50 percent of the length of the sidewalk, or other surface, adjacent to an accessible parallel parking space must be free of obstructions and a conventional sign with the ISA must be installed at the space.

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If you observe a facility or element that is not ADA compliant and you would like to know how to proceed, please see the link at What To Do When A Building Is Not ADA Compliant or Accessible.

ADA Inspections Nationwide, LLC, offers ADA/ABA/FHA accessibility compliance inspections for buildings and facilities, as applicable to the different laws, and expert witness services with respect to ADA/ABA/FHA laws for building owners, tenants and managers. Also, ADAIN offers consulting for home modifications as a CAPS consultant for people wishing to age in place in their homes. For a complete list of services please see ADAIN Services.

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