There are an estimated 2 billion parking spaces in the United States. You pull in and park in them every day, but have you ever really thought about the parking lots you use?
There’s a lot of work, planning, and design that go into building a new parking lot. Do it wrong and you’ll have an expensive fix on your hands.
Check out these five tips for creating the perfect parking lot layout.
Table of Contents
1. Determine the Purpose
The final purpose of your parking lot will heavily influence the design. Talking with professionals like MD Paving Pros can help guide you. If your parking lot is for an appointment-based business, then you can get away with fewer individual spaces.
If the parking lot is for a retail business, then you’ll want to have more spaces to accommodate the customer volume.
You also need to consider the size of the vehicles that will be using the parking lot. Heavier and larger vehicles will require you to have a thicker pavement.
2. Do a Lot of Math
Unfortunately, there are many different standard sizes for parking spaces. A good place to start is finding out what the required minimum number of spaces is according to your industry and the local building code.
Since the parking spaces can be required, you need to start here when designing your parking lot. Then you can work around the spaces to add less essential amenities.
When doing your calculations, don’t forget to factor in accessibility spaces. These parking spaces are required, and they need more space than a standard slot.
3. Think About the Flow
You need to create a traffic pattern through the parking lot that will make sense. There needs to be clear signage to direct drivers. There also needs to be a plan for pedestrian traffic.
Create a plan for the painted marking in your parking lot. This includes the slot markings, crosswalk lines, and handicap parking.
4. Make It Safe
Once you have the basic layout of your parking lot, you need to think about safety measures. Create a drainage plan for water. This will prevent flooding.
You should also create a plan for lighting. This will make your parking lot safer for people at night.
5. Make It Beautiful
Your final step in designing your parking lot is to make it beautiful. In the spaces where you don’t have slots or driving paths, you can create some landscaping features.
Consider adding some low maintenance bushes or trees that will grow large and provide plenty of shade.
Have a Successful Parking Lot Layout Design
When it comes to creating a new parking lot, having the right parking lot layout should be your primary concern. Start with the final purpose of the parking lot and the elements required by code.
From there, you can create a design that encourages the flow of traffic. Then once you have your layout, you can enhance the design with proper drainage and landscaping.
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