New ‘Park with Aloha’ signage introduced for van accessible parking spaces

New parking signage, part of Hawai‘i’s “Park with Aloha” campaign, reminds drivers to provide extra space for side ramp or lift-equipped vehicles.

Issued for voluntary use by the state Department of Health’s Disability and Communication Access Board, the sign is intended for state and local governments, as well as private businesses, to place in van-accessible parking spaces. It highlights that priority should be given to side ramp or lift-equipped vehicles.

Standard-sized accessible parking spaces are 8 feet wide with a 5-foot adjacent access aisle. Van-accessible spaces, designed for side ramp or lift-equipped vehicles (SRLVs), are 3 feet wider, either in the parking space or the adjacent aisle, to allow for the deployment of a side ramp or lift.

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, one in every six accessible parking spaces must be van-accessible. While these spaces can be used by any vehicle with a valid disability parking permit, they are crucial for SRLVs. When non-SRLVs occupy these spaces, individuals with SRLVs may be unable to park, exit their vehicle, or access their destination, making it essential for everyone to leave these spaces available for those who need them.

“Vehicles without side ramps or lifts parking in van-accessible spaces when standard accessible spaces are available is one of the most common complaints we receive from SRLV drivers,” said DCAB Executive Director Kirby Shaw. “Our goal is to encourage those who can use standard-sized accessible parking spaces to do so, thereby keeping van-accessible spaces available for those who need them.”

The new sign design can be downloaded and printed from the DCAB website: Sign Download.