Every commercial parking lot in Connecticut needs to meet the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility requirements, and most municipalities also enforce state-level standards on top of the federal baseline. Getting striping right matters for compliance, liability, and visitor experience. This guide summarizes the requirements as they typically apply to a CT commercial property.
A commercial parking lot in Connecticut needs one accessible space for every 25 total spaces up to 100 spaces (the ratio drops on larger lots), with van-accessible spaces required at a 1-in-6 ratio of accessible spaces. Accessible spaces must be at least 8 feet wide with a 5-foot access aisle (96 inches wide for van-accessible). Signage with the international accessibility symbol is required at every accessible space.
Federal ADA requirements set the minimum number of accessible spaces based on total lot size. The scale runs: 1 accessible space for lots of 1-25 total, 2 for 26-50, 3 for 51-75, 4 for 76-100, and progressively more for larger lots. Connecticut municipalities sometimes enforce stricter local requirements on top.
Within the accessible spaces, at least 1 in every 6 must be van-accessible. For lots with fewer than 6 accessible spaces total, at least one of them must be van-accessible.
Standard accessible space: 8 feet wide minimum with a 5-foot access aisle alongside. Two accessible spaces may share a single access aisle between them.
Van-accessible space: 8 feet wide minimum with a 96-inch (8-foot) access aisle, OR 11 feet wide with a 5-foot access aisle. The wider aisle accommodates a wheelchair lift or ramp deployed from the van.
The access aisle must be marked clearly (typically with diagonal hatching) so it cannot be parked in. The aisle floor must be level — slope under 1:48 in all directions — and at the same level as the parking space.
Accessible spaces must be on the shortest accessible route to the building entrance they serve. When multiple entrances exist, accessible spaces are typically distributed across them.
The accessible route from space to entrance must be at least 36 inches wide, with running slope no greater than 1:20 and cross slope no greater than 1:48. Where the route crosses curbs or steps, curb ramps must comply with ADA dimensions.
Each accessible space requires a vertical sign with the international symbol of accessibility, mounted at least 60 inches above grade so vehicles parked in the space do not obscure the sign. Van-accessible spaces require an additional "Van Accessible" designation on the sign.
Pavement markings: the symbol of accessibility painted on the space itself is required in Connecticut. Diagonal hatching on the access aisle is required to deter parking in it.
In CT lots we re-stripe, the most common gaps are: insufficient access aisle width (a 5-foot aisle that has been resurfaced and lost width over time), missing or fading van-accessible signage, parking aisle slope exceeding 1:48 from settling, and access aisles that are parked in routinely. Re-striping the lot to current ADA dimensions corrects the marking and width problems; slope problems need grading or paving work.
If a lot is being repaved, that is the right time to verify or correct the ADA layout. We confirm dimensions, plan signage placement, and stripe to current standards as part of the project.
Repainting a faded symbol is not the same project as resurfacing or reconfiguring a lot, and fresh paint does not change slopes, routes, or signs. Before a striping, sealcoating, or paving project, write down what the work will actually change, then review the accessible parking against that scope.
Federal guidance draws a line between maintenance and alterations. The U.S. Access Board guide to parking spaces describes normal maintenance, such as pothole repair, surface patching, or repainting existing striping in place for a few spaces, as generally not an alteration, while resurfacing is treated as an alteration. The Department of Justice's ADA guidance on restriping parking spaces explains that a business or government that restripes a lot must provide accessible parking as required by the 2010 ADA Standards, counted separately for each parking facility. Where a particular project falls is a project-specific question.
Where the route from the accessible spaces to the entrance involves curbs, curb ramps, or sidewalks, concrete work such as walkways and sidewalks may need to be coordinated with the paving and markings, so the grading, paving, concrete, and final striping are planned as one sequence.
Some questions belong with a qualified accessibility or design professional rather than a paving contractor: whether a project is an alteration, how many accessible spaces are required and which entrances they serve, whether slopes and routes comply, and how state or local requirements apply. A photo cannot establish compliance; measured dimensions and slopes on site are the starting point. Use this checklist to frame the scope:
Federal ADA Standards have been substantively stable since the 2010 update. Connecticut state requirements and local enforcement vary. We stripe to current federal + CT requirements as of the project date.
No — the required minimum count is set by total space count and cannot be reduced. If a re-striping plan would reduce total spaces enough to drop the accessible requirement, the accessible count is still required at the new total.
Yes — if the lot has any accessible spaces at all, at least one of them must be van-accessible. A lot with just 1 accessible space means that 1 space is van-accessible.
If accessible spaces are faded, signage is missing, or dimensions have drifted from re-paving over the years, yes — correct them before inspection. We re-stripe and re-sign as needed.
No. Paint changes markings only. If an accessible space or access aisle is too steep, or the route to the entrance has a step, a damaged curb ramp, or a gap, that takes grading, paving, or concrete repair work, and a qualified professional can confirm what the standards require at your site.
Not under the U.S. Access Board's guidance, which generally treats repainting existing striping in place for a few spaces as maintenance and resurfacing as an alteration. Projects differ, so confirm how your planned work is classified before the scope is final.
Typically the width of each accessible space and access aisle, the slopes of spaces and aisles in each direction, the width and slopes of the route from the spaces to the entrance, sign mounting heights, and the total number of spaces in each parking facility. For a site review of the proposed parking and access scope, contact us with a site plan or photos of the layout.
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Chris Maisano
CEO, Maisano Brothers Inc. · LinkedIn
Chris Maisano is the dedicated leader of Maisano Brothers Inc., a family-owned company paving Connecticut since 1967. Building on the legacy of his father and uncle, who started out plowing snow and taking on paving jobs with a pickup truck in 1963, Chris has guided the company into a modern era while preserving its reputation for quality and reliability. With decades of hands-on experience in asphalt paving, milling, grading, and reclamation, he is known for delivering lasting results for residential, commercial, and municipal projects. Respected for his expertise and integrity, Chris continues to uphold the Maisano Brothers Inc. tradition of excellence, ensuring every project is completed with the same commitment to craftsmanship and customer care that has defined the company for generations.
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