Travis County — Accessible Parking Awareness Campaign

Statewide Need
Accessible parking violations make communities less accessible to people with DD. Violations can make it so that those with valid parking placards and license plates aren’t able to access businesses or services because accessible parking spaces aren’t available. Texas law provides that a vehicle may be parked for an unlimited time in a parking space that is designated for persons with disabilities if the vehicle is being operated by or for a person with a disability, and if the vehicle has an appropriate accessible license or placard. Despite the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act and efforts to increase enforcement of state accessible parking statutes, violations continue to be as prevalent as ever. More people are using placards that do not belong to them, and placards are altered or illegally sold.

Project Goal
Evaluate the public’s understanding of accessible parking, design targeted educational outreach materials, and hold a community-wide symposium. This may include educating the public about the principles of universal design, how planning for aging-in-place benefits everyone, and how accessible parking is the first step.

Project Summary
Travis County partnered with CreativePickle to develop a multi-faceted accessible parking awareness campaign, Operation ACCESS, to educate the public about accessible parking, decrease violations, and enable people with disabilities to actively participate in their community.