Parking lot line paint: is there anything that might seem as completely unimportant as some white or yellow stripes across black asphalt? Maybe so, but the truth is that parking lot line paint is a lot like oxygen: you don’t notice how important it is until it’s gone. That’s because parking lot striping is, believe it or not, no joke whatsoever. This goes double for commercial building owners or property managers. Here’s exactly why those little white or yellow lines are such serious business.
Parking Lot Line Paint Does More Than Keep Your Lot Organized
Yes, there’s certainly an aesthetic component to a well-painted lot. The symmetry and order parking stripes add to a lot make it feel organized and give off that professional look, and that adds up to the type of positive curb appeal that can drive a higher volume of visitors to your building or property. But parking lot line paint contributes to your company’s success in other ways as well.
In addition to keeping your lot looking neat and tidy, well-planned out parking stripe patterns maximize the number of vehicles that can fit in your lot. Good line painting patterns also make it easy for vehicles to leave and arrive quickly and efficiently, maximizing traffic flow and keeping vehicles and their passengers safe from collisions. That’s why a lot with fresh parking lot line paint is always at an advantage over lots with older, faded lines — or with no lines at all!
Parking Lot Striping Also Protects Your Business from Fines and Penalties
If your building is in any way open to the public, you’re bound by the Americans with Disabilities Act, a federal law that requires you to make your building accessible to anyone with a disability. This extends not just to your doors, interior hallways, and public restrooms but your parking lot as well. In other words, your lot needs to have a number of handicapped-accessible parking stalls in order to be in compliance with the ADA. If your state has additional accessibility laws, you’ll also need to be in compliance with them as well.
Getting a new coat of parking lot line paint put in by professionals that are familiar with state and federal accessibility laws might seem excessive. However, the alternative can be even worse. There are some steep penalties associated with being in violation of the ADA, and these penalties carry some hefty fines. You need to have your lot painted in accordance with the number of handicapped parking spaces you need or you risk being subject to being penalized. These spaces also need to be placed in locations related to your entrances in ways that are outlined in the relevant laws if you want to avoid being fined in this manner. Please be aware that the cost of new parking lot striping is much more affordable than an ADA penalty fine!
It’s Not Just the Law — It’s a Good Idea
In the end, maintaining your building’s parking lot line paint isn’t just a legal requirement. In fact, it’s simply good business. Providing a safe and welcoming environment for all your visitors, regardless of their physical capabilities, showcases your company as one that cares about its customers. Providing a neat and organized-looking lot with parking stripes that encourage easy entrances and exits while also maximizing capacity also supports your business. In fact, no matter how you look at it, parking lot line paint is much more important than you might have ever thought!