When working on a commercial parking lot, your goal might be to fit as many parking spaces as possible within the given area. While this is a good part of your plan, there are other things you should also consider. When designing your parking lot layout, be sure to pay attention to the following points.
Make It Flow
Have you ever been in a parking lot in which there wasn’t enough space for two cars to drive past each other in opposite directions? Have you ever gotten stuck at the end of a parking row because it turned into a dead-end? You have to think about the flow of traffic when designing the layout of your parking lot. If drivers can’t get easily in and out of the lot, they may take business elsewhere.
Keep the Markings Clear
The stripes that indicate where drivers can park should be bright, clear, and fresh. If someone can’t see the spaces, he or she could take up more than one space, leaving nowhere for other drivers to park. If your emergency lanes and handicap-accessible stalls aren’t clearly marked, it could pose a problem for those who need easy access to your building. This could be both dangerous and inconvenient.
Make Your Parking Spaces Spacious
It’s understandable you want your lot to fit as many cars as possible, but if the stalls are too small, it’s possible drivers will pass them up and go somewhere else. With stalls that force cars to be parked too close together, drivers and passengers end up hitting the other cars with their doors, scratching other vehicles when they’re trying to squeeze in, and can be involved in other unfortunate incidents.
Meet ADA Regulations
Be sure you know what the ADA regulations are for the area in which you have your property. You’ll need a certain number of stalls, they’ll need to be a certain size, they should be clearly marked with proper signage, and they should also be a certain distance from the building. If you aren’t compliant with those regulations, you could face legal consequences.
Help With Your Parking Lot Layout
To learn more about designing a great layout for business, contact the professionals at NVM Paving & Concrete by calling 703-423-0471 or sending us an email. We are standing by to help you with your parking lot layout today.
