Every day there is an inspirational story of someone who overcomes incredible obstacles to do something that most of us could only imagine. Throughout history, there have always been people that surpassed their physical or mental disabilities to become great, make a difference, and bring joy to people’s lives. Whether it is the incredible mind of Stephen Hawking, Andrea Boccelli’s timeless voice, the piano sensation of Ray Charles, of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who led the country through the harrowing years of World War II.
All of these people and countless others have had a great impact on society. So while the ADA law went into effect in the 90’s, the fight of people with disabilities is much longer than that. Parents of children with disabilities began the fight in the schools, as they stood against segregation and inclusion. The disabilities rights movement then began with so many others that wrote letters, stood up, and protested against unfair treatment. It can even be traced back to the 1920s when a large number of World War I veterans returned with disabilities.
Then, in the 1990s the ADA was signed into law. This movement put the injustices faced by people with disabilities into the spotlight and prompted the legislative action. In 1973 the passage of section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act made exclusion due to disability as discrimination. This was the first time that people with disabilities were seen as a class. It was from that moment that the legislative battle towards this came about.
In the 1980s, the disability community’s efforts focused on reinstating civil rights and worked on the Fair Housing Act to improve enforcement mechanisms. The ADA that we know today went through various drafts before it reached the White House. The bill, the first comprehensive legislation that declared equality for people with disabilities was signed in July of 1990 by President H. Bush.
The Importance of Handicap Stalls in Your Parking Lot
The Americans with Disabilities Act requires parking lots to have a certain amount of handicap spaces. There are regular car spaces and van spaces and you’re required by both. The requirement of how many spaces you need comes down to space and even the kind of business you have. There are also sizing requirements that mean the spaces have to be a certain size. The signage around the spaces also has to meet specific requirements. This means that they have to be clearly designed and placed at a certain height to be seen above parked cars. If your building or commercial space has several entrances, you want to try and make sure that you have spaces near each entrance to facilitate people accessing your place of business.
Get ADA Compliant Through a Professional Paving Service
Here at Rick’s Paving and Sealing, we take the ADA regulations very seriously and always ensure that our clients are following the requirements and helping people of all walks of life to have equal access to their business.
