What's Wrong with This Photo - ADA Parking in Montana - 7/30/25

Montana Hotel ADA Parking

Recently on a road trip through Montana and Wyoming I found examples of non-compliant Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) parking for individuals living with a disability. Please look at the photo on the right. What you are looking at is a parking area at a hotel in a small town in Montana. What’s wrong?

HINT: A lot!

For starters, where is the access aisle? Every accessible parking space should have an access aisle. 2010 ADA Standard 502.2, [Parking Spaces] Vehicle Spaces, states, “Car parking spaces shall be 96 inches (2440 mm) wide minimum and van parking spaces shall be 132 inches (3350 mm) wide minimum, shall be marked to define the width, and shall have an adjacent access aisle complying with [Standard] 502.3.” The diagram below is representative of an ADA access aisle and an accessible parking space.

ADA Compliant Accessible Parking Space and Access Aisle

So having a 5 feet wide access aisle that runs the full length of the accessible parking space, for every accessible parking space, is not an option. It’s required.

2010 ADA Standard 502.3, Access Aisle, states, “Access aisles serving parking spaces shall comply with [Standard] 502.3. Access aisles shall adjoin an accessible route. Two parking spaces shall be permitted to share a common access aisle.”

Montana Hotel ADA Parking Sign Too Low

And what’s going on with that sign for the ADA parking space? It’s a single sign for both parking spaces standing about 14 inches above the level of the walking surface to the bottom of the sign. See the photo on the left.

ADA Parking Signage Graphic

2010 ADA Standard 502.6, [Parking] Identification, states, “Parking space identification signs shall include the International Symbol of Accessibility complying with [Standard] 703.7.2.1. Signs identifying van parking spaces shall contain the designation “van accessible.” Signs shall be 60 inches (1525 mm) minimum above the finish floor or ground surface measured to the bottom of the sign.” The graphic on the right is representative. And each accessible parking space should have its own sign. Two ADA parking spaces should not share a vertical sign.

Also, neither one of these two parking spaces intended to be accessible is designed, installed, or marked as van accessible.

SUMMARY: So there is a lot wrong with this parking area intended to be accessible. What they could/should have done here is use two spaces to make one van-accessible parking space with an accessible parking space aisle, that connects to an accessible ramp that connects to an accessible route to the front/main pedestrian entrance.

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If you observe a facility 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.

Thank you.