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Perhaps your business or place of work has a parking lot connected to it.  If so, you probably see it every day, but have you ever considered if the parking lot is ADA compliant?

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), originally signed into law in 1990 and later amended with changes in 2009, covers a vast range of guidelines that are put in place “to create civil rights law protections for people with disabilities that would be permanent, would not be able to be reversed or weakened, and would prohibit all discrimination,” according to Wikipedia. 

As a whole, the ADA covers a broad gamut of topics, ranging from how wide a check out aisle should be to how seating should be arranged at entertainment venues to preventing discrimination on the job, and everything in between.  In a nutshell, it’s a comprehensive, standarized way of ensuring that everybody can participate in public activities on a day to day basis, regardless of any disabilities.  Think about it as a plan to eliminate obstacles for visitors at your business.

One part of this law that affects most businesses (particularly ones that are open to the public) is the ADA accessibility of a parking lot and building entrance.  This law includes ramifications on such areas as:

• The number, size, and location of handicapped parking spaces

• The arrangement of loading/unloading zones in front of a building

• The posting of necessary signage

• The dimensions of curb ramps

• The specifications of a wheelchair ramp leading to the building’s entrance

• The removal of barriers in existing lots

When you’re looking to construct a new parking lot or refurbish an existing one, ensuring that your parking lot is ADA compliant can be a lot to consider as planning gets underway.  Undoubtedly, you want to make sure it’s done right the first time so you won’t have to go back and make changes again.

(Though it may seem a bit daunting to ensure ADA compliance based on the extensive wording of the ADA law, there are several benefits for businessowners to keep in mind when undertaking parking lot construction or maintenance, in relation to making it ADA compliant.  We will look at these benefits in a forthcoming blog post… stay tuned!)

That said, if you are in the process of constructing or maintaining a parking lot, and you need help with ADA compliance, please feel free to email us or call us at 215-672-8000 to discuss your plans.  We are happy to assist you in getting the job done right.  Associated Paving Contractors, Inc. (APCON) has extensive experience in constructing or refurbishing parking lots that are ADA compliant, and we work with you through the entire process.

We serve the Philadelphia metropolitan area including Bucks County, Montgomery County, Delaware County, and Chester County, as well as South Jersey and Central Jersey, and even farther regions as needed.

Thanks for reading, and, as always, drive safely!

This Monday, September 12th, will mark the 115th anniversary of the first drunk driving arrest in history, according to The History Channel’s website.  In 1897, a London taxi driver named George Smith was arrested for drunk driving after crashing his car into a building.

Fortunately, nobody was killed or seriously hurt in this accident.

But, unfortunately, drunk driving still remains all too common over a century after this notorious “first” incident.  According to the article, in 2005, for example, nearly 17,000 people died in alcohol related accidents and 1.4 million people were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.  Here’s to hoping we can see a day when those numbers both drop to zero.

Organizations such as MADD continue to promote driving sober and many strides have been made by government and police departments to cut back on these devastating numbers.  APCON is thankful for this progress and we appreciate the efforts of those who are working hard to end drunk driving.

That said, please drive sober and help to make our roads a safer place for driving.

Thank you for reading, have a great weekend, and safe travels.

Infrastructure is a major but necessary expense in most government budgets, so reducing the amount of taxpayer money needed to pay for upgrading roadways is always a priority.

In Ohio, folks will literally be keeping an eye on the road to see if substantial savings can be realized by implementing “perpetual pavement” when repaving roads in the future.

The Columbus Dispatch reports that “Ohio University researchers plan to test a new road design that they hope might last 50 years or more with nothing but an occasional new coat of asphalt.”  If successful, this form of pavement would reduce costs since making extensive repairs below the surface for traditionally paved roads would cost more despite the higher upfront costs for the thicker asphalt layers needed in perpetual pavement.

Testing and monitoring should take about two years to complete, at which point the state’s DOT would presumably move forward with expanding the implementation of perpetual pavement, if tests prove successful.  Undoutedly, other states will be keen to hear Ohio’s results to see if it makes economic sense to install perpetual pavement for their respective roadways.

Let’s hope this is a road to savings for government budgets… to be continued!

It’s been one year since a 5.8 magnitude earthquake centered in Virginia struck the East Coast.  But if you were involved in it, you probably remember where you were and what you were doing at the time as though it were yesterday.

Fortunately, nobody was reported hurt from the aftermath of the earthquake, and damage in the Philadelphia/South Jersey metro area was fairly minimal compared to the epicenter area a couple hundred miles south of here.  Delaware Valley area roads, bridges, and other infrastructure held up overwhelmingly well, though some isolated buildings suffered damage.

An interesting article in Philly.com (by way of The Associated Press) about the earthquake, details some of the effects and statistics pertaining to this monumental event, including these tidbits:

• Due to its proximity to many large cities from North Carolina to New Jersey, the earthquake may have been felt by more people in the United States than any other in history
• Some schools and other organizations are now implementing earthquake drills and/or emergency procedures to prepare for another earthquake that may strike in the future
• The quake caused an estimated $200 million in damage, including $15 million to repair cracks in the Washington Monument, which remains closed indefinitely

All in all, the earthquake, though powerful, could have been a lot worse in terms of damage and casualties, and it serves as a learning experience in terms of preparing for future quakes.

On that note, here’s to many more quake free years ahead…

Well, it’s that time of year again… school is back in session, leaves are changing color and falling to the ground, and football season has kicked off (go Eagles!).But it’s also that time to plan ahead for the winter.

As we here at APCON often say, your parking lot is a “welcome mat” to visitors to your company’s premises.

And if your parking lot is in disrepair, it shows your customers, guests, and employees that you aren’t keeping them in mind when they have to dodge potholes or trip on uneven sidwalks in your company’s parking lot.

If you have any problem spots in your parking lot, we suggest that NOW is the best time to take care of them, before winter comes and makes them worse, and also makes it much more difficult or impossible to have them fixed until spring arrives, when more amenable weather conditions allow for the work to be completed.

Associated Paving Contractors can handle the following preventative maintenance needs for you leading up to the winter weather season:

• Crack Filling:  By filling cracks, you prevent water from getting underneath your pavement, which can then freeze, expand, and cause the cracks to grow even more or create other foundation problems.

• Pothole Repair:  Like cracks in asphalt, ice can cause potholes to worsen, but they can also expand when snow plows or shovels clear snow from the pavement or when cars continuously pass over them.  Properly filling potholes will prevent them from enlarging during the winter, ultimately helping to minimize walking and driving hazards.

• Line & Curb Striping:  As winter approaches, your parking lot lines and curbs can become harder to see when there is precipitation covering them and as nights get longer.  If your striping is faded, you risk cars running over curbs, parking improperly, or not seeing directional signs on the ground.  Fresh paint will also help to make your site look more welcoming.

• Seal Coating:  Fresh seal coating can help extend the life of your blacktop by keeping water from seeping into the asphalt, causing it to break down more quickly.  Not only will seal coating help extend the life of asphalt that is currently in good condition, it will also provide a dark, fresh look, serving as an ideal welcome mat for your company’s visitors.

As touched on above, it is important that if you are considering doing any parking lot maintenance in the Philadelphia/South Jersey area, you should take care of it ASAP.  For starters, as leaves fall, it makes jobs such as seal coating that much more difficult to do properly, and as the temperature drops, it becomes prohibitive to properly work with asphalt and related products since they need to be warm enough to cure.  And let’s not forget that in 2011 it snowed right before Halloween!

The moral of this story:  Putting off your parking lot maintenance needs until next year could be detrimental to the lifespan of your pavement, and could also increase the danger of any hazardous areas.

To talk with a representative of APCON about your parking lot’s maintenance needs, please contact us today at 215-672-8000 or info@assocpaving.com.

Thank you and enjoy the start of Fall!

As we always say here at APCON, your driveway and parking lot represent an important first impression of your business.  And a not-so-subtle one at that.

When customers and visitors drive up to your building, does it look like you have rolled out the red carpet for them with a clean, safe, attractive pavement, or does it look like you don’t care about upkeep and instead leave potholes, cracks, and alligatored areas to fester?

Recently, Manufacturers’ Golf & Country Club in Fort Washington, PA contacted us because a large area of their driveway had developed problem spots that needed to be addressed.  APCON was able to come in and re-pave this damaged section, restoring a beautiful look that is conducive to such an esteemed club, all while minimizing disruption to the Club’s traffic flow and pedestrian usage.

The project included an asphalt paving overlay and a new stormwater inlet, and we completed it all in a day.  The Club was thrilled with the improvements and our quick turnaround time.  We enjoyed the opportunity to handle this job and work at such a historic golf club in the Philadelphia area.  And, undoubtedly, drivers will appreciate the smoothe pavement that greets them upon entering the club’s grounds.

To see some shots from after our work was completed, click on any of the thumbnails below to view larger images of the site.

If your parking lot or driveway has gone into disrepair, fear not, APCON can help!  Associated Paving Contractors has expertise in doing the job right all while minizing disruption to your business.  Please call us at 215-672-8000 or email us today to see how we might be able to improve your grounds efficiently and affordably.

Just this morning, the third major water main break in the last week and a half occurred in Philadelphia, this time soaking an intersection in North Philadelphia.  Previously there was a water main break on July 22nd in South Philadelphia, as well as one on July 29th in Northeast Philadelphia.

What gives?

For a short, smart aleck answer– the water main pipe “gives.”   But in all seriousness, this is a very disruptive problem to local residents who may lose water delivery or find lower water pressure in their homes, as well as to commuters who may have to circumvent the affected area, and, of course, the workers who are undoubtedly physically taxed from having to make so many major repairs to the water mains in a short amount of time.

The Philadelphia Water Department has information on water main breaks, including why they happen and what to do in the event that they affect your house.  This information is not exclusive to Philadelphians, by the way.  Briefly, the water mains break for various reasons, but usually there is a factor of the pipe being corroded over the years, or there is extreme pressure placed on the pipe from any given side which can cause it to rupture and spew thousands of gallons of water out into the streets above.

Hopefully, the water mains will stay in tact in your area for many years to come, but it’s helpful to be aware of what’s going on with that water flowing right under your feet.

Got a question about our paving services?  Please feel free to contact us at 215-672-8000 or email us if you have a project you would like to talk to us about.

In recent weeks, we’ve talked about Philadelphia’s ambitious plans for using more porous paving in local streets as well as research from Toronto about the possibility of using asphalt pavement as an energy source.

Now comes an intriguing article by Forbes about Chicago’s Department of Transportation recycling roof shingles, used tires, and reclaimed pavement from other streets and utilizing the mix to pave the famous Michigan Avenue.

As described in the Forbes article, this was a bold move due to the challenge of working with the various materials, but the results have been very successful.  The cited benefits of this mix are that it’s about 40% cheaper, the street is of higher quality, and it’s more noise absorbent than traditional pavement.

We here at APCON applaud these efforts and we look forward to seeing this mix of recycled products become more widespread.