Accessible Parking on the Berkeley Campus

Ella Callow, JD

DAC

2021

access@berkeley.edu

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What is Accessible Parking?

• Spaces reserved for people who have permission to park there because they have a disability, also sometimes adjacent spaces called access aisles that are reserved for them to lower ramps from vans so they can enter and exit the vehicle.
• These spaces are required under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the California Building Code

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How can you tell a person has permission �to be in an Accessible Parking Space?

• People authorized to park in an accessible parking space will have a placard they can display, and/or a tag on their license plate showing they are disabled. Permanent=blue; Temporary=red

Q: When is it okay to park in an accessible spot if you do not have a placard or tag? A: Never.

• It is not okay to park there even if just for a few minutes to run in somewhere;
• Not okay to leave materials or supplies or a nearby construction project;
• Not okay to leave packages for a building;
• Not okay to block in order to run into a building or site to retrieve something, or to ask a question, etc.

WHY?

-People with disabilities can’t work, go to school or the store if they can’t get out of their cars and get into the buildings.

-And they can’t go home if their parking spots or access aisles are inaccessible.

Nobody would do that, right?

UC Berkeley drivers must be particularly careful not to block or use accessible spots or access aisle unless they have a placard.

• This is the home of the disability rights movement and we are held to a higher standard than elsewhere;
• 30% of our campus self-reports as having a disability. Many of these are physical disabilities, chronic pain conditions, and diseases that impact the ability to be mobile (severe respiratory disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Cerebral Palsy, Quadriplegia or Paraplegia, etc)
• Since accessible parking and access aisles are designed as part of the safest path of travel from parking areas to buildings, you endanger our many disabled community members and this leads to accidents (wheelchair users can’t be seen as easily as walking pedestrians by cars)
• It is illegal and you will be ticketed, fined and your vehicle can be towed

Our rates of ticketing for illegally parking �in accessible spaces & access aisles in 2016-17-18

ADA Citations

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2016

Parked in Disabled Space: 38

Blocking Access Aisle: 1

Encroaching on Accessible Space: 0

2017

Parked in Accessible Space: 65

Blocking Access Aisle: 9

Encroaching on Accessible Space: 2

2018

Parked in Accessible Space:39

Blocking Access Aisle: 7

Encroaching on Accessible Space: 5

What should I do if I see someone parking in an accessible spot or access aisle without a placard or tag?

• Contact the Parking & Transportation Office and report it
• If it is a Berkeley Facilities vehicle also contact Facilities Services
• If it is a Berkeley vehicle (marked) and you are a disabled person who was denied access to park as a result of their inappropriate use or blocking of an accessible space or access aisle, you may also file a complaint with the Office of Disability Access & Compliance

What if I am disabled and want to park on campus?

To park in a campus accessible or “blue” space, reserved for those with disabilities, you must:

• Purchase a campus parking permit through the Parking and Transportation (P&T) Customer Services office or pay an hourly parking fee in specified parking areas,

AND:

• Display a California state DP placard, state DP permit, or DP license plate.

Parking without a campus parking permit or without paying an hourly parking fee may result in a citation.

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What additional information can I find on �disability and parking?

• For more information you can go to this page with disabled parking information
• There you will find information on:

-Parking for personal attendant

-Parking spaces dedicated to a disabled individual

-Parking as a student accommodation

-One day visitor passes, and

-Maps of accessible parking locations

For more information contact...

The Office of Disability Access & Compliance | access@berkeley.edu

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