ADA Parking Striping in St Helens, Oregon: Bringing Your Lot Up to Code

Restriping a St Helens Lot to ADA Layout

When a St Helens parking lot needs new lines, that restripe is the best chance you will get to fix accessibility problems. Faded paint is the visible symptom, but underneath it many lots in Columbia County carry layout issues that have been there since the asphalt was first marked: too few accessible spaces, aisles that are too narrow, missing van dimensions, or signage that never met Oregon's standards. Repainting over the same lines just locks those problems in for another two years.

This guide is for St Helens owners and managers who want the restripe done right — to current ADA layout, not just back to whatever was there before. For the statewide foundation, see our ADA parking compliance guide for Oregon.

Get the Stall Dimensions Right Before Paint Touches the Lot

ADA accessible stalls are not standard stalls painted blue. The dimensions are specific:

• Standard accessible stall: minimum 8 feet wide, with an adjacent access aisle at least 5 feet wide.
• Van-accessible stall: minimum 8 feet wide with an 8-foot access aisle, or 11 feet wide with a 5-foot aisle. Either way the combined footprint runs 16 feet.
• Van count: at least 1 in every 6 accessible stalls must be van-accessible.

A common St Helens mistake is restriping a row of accessible stalls without a single van-accessible space, or sharing a too-narrow aisle between two stalls. Before any paint goes down, the layout should be chalked and verified against the 2026 ADA striping requirements for Oregon.

Access Aisle Striping Is Where Most Lots Fail

The access aisle beside each accessible stall has to be striped, not just left blank. It needs diagonal hatching across its full length so drivers know not to park in it, and many jurisdictions expect "NO PARKING" lettering inside the aisle. The aisle must sit level with the stall and connect to a marked accessible route to the building entrance.

When two accessible stalls share a single aisle between them, that shared aisle still has to meet the full width requirement for the wider of the two stalls. Our ADA access aisle striping spec covers hatch spacing, lettering, and the shared-aisle rules in detail.

The Accessibility Symbol and Signage

Each accessible stall gets the International Symbol of Accessibility painted on the pavement, typically in white on a blue field. The symbol has a defined proportion and orientation — a freehand or undersized symbol invites a complaint. Paint quality matters here in St Helens because the wet Columbia River climate and summer UV fade markings faster than owners expect; a symbol that has faded to half visibility is treated as a compliance gap.

Striping pairs with signage. Each stall needs a vertical sign with the accessibility symbol mounted at least 60 inches to the bottom of the sign, plus a "Van Accessible" plate on van stalls, plus Oregon's supplemental fine-amount plate. A restripe that leaves old, low, or missing signs in place is only half done.

Timing the Restripe in St Helens

Striping needs dry pavement and temperatures above 50°F for paint to cure properly. In St Helens that practically means late spring through early fall, between the Columbia River wet seasons. If you are restriping right after a fresh sealcoat, that smooth dark surface gives the new paint better adhesion and contrast — and it hands you a blank slate to correct the entire accessible layout at once instead of tracing old lines.

A Practical Restripe Sequence

1. Count existing spaces and check the required accessible and van count against your total.
2. Measure existing accessible stalls and aisles for width and slope.
3. Chalk the corrected layout — stalls, aisles, hatching, symbol locations.
4. Verify the accessible route from the stalls to the entrance is continuous and marked.
5. Apply paint in dry, warm conditions.
6. Update or install compliant signs at the correct height with the fine plate.

For general lot striping in the area — drive aisles, fire lanes, standard stalls, curb paint — see parking lot striping in St Helens. This article covers general ADA layout guidance; an on-site measurement is the only way to confirm your specific stalls comply.