Ultimate Parking Lot Design Standards Guide for Efficient Lots

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Are you looking to enhance your parking lot design to build a more robust parking lot system and increase revenue? Navigating parking lot design standards can feel like a challenge, but! Our blog offers valuable insights to help you tackle the complexity of optimizing your parking lot layout effectively. From traffic flow to efficient space utilization, this article has you covered in constructing the best possible parking lot design to meet your needs.

Introducing Parqour - a helpful tool to guide you through the process of creating an efficient parking lot design to achieve your objectives, like Building a robust parking lot system and increase revenue. Discover easy-to-follow guidelines and best practices for designing a parking lot that meets industry standards and enhances your business operations effectively.

Why Is Parking Lot Design Important?

Traffic Flow and Direction

When designing a parking lot, planning for traffic flow is crucial. An efficient layout with clear signage and markings keeps vehicles moving safely. Direction should be structured to reduce accidents and encourage safe driving habits.

Parking Spaces and Accessibility

Having enough parking spaces for customers and guests is paramount. The number of spaces needed for property occupancy must be considered. Parking spaces should be well-maintained, properly marked, and accessible for everyone, including pedestrians and those with disabilities.

Lighting and Security

Businesses must create a safe environment for customers. By installing proper lighting and security measures, businesses can ensure customer safety and protect their property. Adequate lighting enhances the parking lot's appearance, prevents accidents, and deters criminal activity.

Drainage and Maintenance

Failure to address poor drainage can result in expensive repairs and potential liabilities. Establishing proper drainage systems ensures water is channeled away from the parking area to prevent damage and injuries. Regular maintenance can address issues before they escalate into significant problems.

Environmentally-Friendly Options

Businesses are expected to adopt eco-friendly practices, such as using green technologies like permeable pavement and rain gardens. These options can reduce pollution and minimize the impact of parking lots on the local ecosystem.

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Parqour offers a comprehensive end-to-end management platform to increase revenue, reduce operational cost, and enhance transparency. Say goodbye to piecing together different vendors and integrations. No need to spend huge capital on bulky hardware. Control all operations from one platform. Contactless parking and online payment methods make the parking experience easier for your customers too.

The end result is:

Higher utilization and lower operating costs

99,6% license plate recognition rate

Online QR payment & 3rd party APIs (integrated with Parkmobile, SpotHero, Honk, PayByPhone)

Data analytics (real-time occupancy, revenue, utilization, parking trends)

Validation and permit management (free flow access for approved drivers)

24/7 remote control system

Hardware with zero upfront costs

Zoning and violation detection (control POD, VIP and nested zones), and much more!

Book a free demo to learn about how Parqour can shift your parking operation into top gear!

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9 Crucial Design Considerations for Parking Lots

Parking lot size, thickness, and layout standards are crucial elements to consider when designing a parking lot. The lot’s purpose will determine the overall design, including parking lot size, pavement thickness, and parking stall layout.

1. Parking Lot Size

The size of the parking lot depends on the number of people the facility will accommodate at once. Industry-recommended or code-required parking stall numbers determine the minimum dimensions of the lot.

2. Pavement Thickness

The weight endured by the asphalt daily affects the pavement base and surface thickness needed for durability. Using a minimum pavement thickness design is crucial to prevent severe asphalt failures.

3. Parking Stall Layout

The layout of parking stalls is influenced by how people will use the lot. Angles at 45 to 60 degrees are suitable for high turnover facilities, while 90-degree angles provide the highest capacity for passenger cars.

4. Entrances and Exits

Functional design of parking lots requires seamless traffic flow through the entrances and exits. The access opening influences critical design elements such as the individual parking stall angles. If the outlet is less than 30 feet wide, separate entrance and exit plans may be needed for optimal traffic flow.

5. Pedestrian Traffic

Designing a parking lot that caters to both drivers and pedestrians is crucial. Enhancing driver and pedestrian safety by considering how employees and customers will navigate from their parked vehicles to the facility entrance is essential.

6. Special Truck Lanes

Specific industries may require expedited traffic flow to loading areas, trash dumpsters, and heavy equipment zones. Parking lot designs need special truck lanes with pavement structures that can support increased weight from trucks and other heavy vehicles.

7. Accessibility Standards

Accessible parking spaces should have the shortest route to the facility entrance. All commercial parking lots require at least one accessible parking stall. The number of accessible spaces may vary based on the total parking stall count.

8. Pavement Drainage

Surface and subsurface drainage play a vital role in parking lot design. Proper drainage prevents pavement saturation, ensuring strength and stability under heavy loads. Addressing asphalt drainage issues during construction is essential for long-term maintenance.

9. Base Construction

Choosing between a full-depth asphalt concrete base or an aggregate base depends on the parking lot’s needs. The subgrade should be graded to meet base requirements, compacted properly, and any deficiencies corrected before base construction.

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Ultimate Parking Lot Design Standards Guide for Efficient Lots

Parking Space Size

Parking space size is mandated by the local zoning or land development ordinances. For example, in Philadelphia commercial districts, the minimum size parking space allowed is 8’-6” x 18’-0”. The size of parking spaces is based on typical use.

A general rule for this is: the lower the turnover, or the more urban a location is, the smaller the parking space users tolerate. On the other hand, areas with high turnover and which are less urban will generally have larger spaces. Variances or design waivers are often sought for parking space dimensions when conditions justify the design.

Vehicle Width vs. Parking Space Width

In a basic self-park scenario, a standard stall measures 8 foot and 6 inches. An average car’s width is 6 foot 6 inches. Therefore, if a car parks in the center of the space, they should have 1 foot of room on either side. When two cars park side by side, their combined gap becomes 2 feet between them.

A car door opening clearance is approximately 20 to 24 inches. Adjacent parking spaces share this clearance while vehicles are parked. When a parking space is adjacent to a built wall or structure, a common practice is to add foot of width to the typical parking space size.

Vertical Circulation for Ramps

Ramp slopes with parking generally range from 5% to 6.67% maximum (per Building Code). When additional overhead height is required at a tier, a speed ramp can be incorporated into the design for vehicle circulation. Speed ramp slopes can range from 6.67% to 13%, with appropriate transition slopes included at top and bottom. When considering vertical circulation, floor-to-floor heights affect the slope percentages of the ramps. The floor-to-floor heights typically range from 10’-6” to 12’-0”.

Applicable Building Codes, Accessibility Codes, and local codes dictate the minimum required overhead clearance heights. Typical minimum required overhead clearances are 8’-2” for ADA van-accessible parking spaces and 7’-0” for typical spaces and other accessible spaces. In multi-level parking structures, van-accessible parking spaces are permitted to be grouped on a single level. If an ADA drop-off area is included, the required overhead clearance grows to 9’-6”.

Garage Footprint Dimensions

The minimum dimensions for a garage footprint must consist of two structural bays. Two 60-foot clear parking modules with 2-way traffic and 90-degree parking would result in a width of 123 feet when including applicable structural members. On the other hand, two one-way bays with angled parking would be slightly less wide. When adding additional parking spaces,the overall garage width would increase in increments of the established parking module or structural bay.

Standard Requirements for Garage Length and Ramps

For general planning purposes, the minimum garage length consists of the ramp plus the turning bays at each garage end. A garage with two-way typically contains 180 feet of ramp, two end bays of 28 feet, and two spandrel widths of one foot. For improved efficiency, the garage design with two-way traffic with end bay parking must have 180 feet of ramp, two end bays of 48 feet, and two spandrel widths of one foot. Variations of a typical garage layout are sometimes designed based on project requirements or site constraints.

Designing for Space Constraints: Variations on the Typical Layout

For example, when the site is not large enough for a typical length ramp, both structural bays require ramps that meet at an intermediate landing to accommodate overhead height requirements. A single helix with a two-way circulation design should be limited to five or six tiers because of the number of turns required to pass all the parking spaces and reach the top.

For a double-threaded helix with one-way circulation, the design allows a vehicle to circulate up and then back down without making a 3-point turn at the top. A crossover is provided at ramp mid-points to allow vehicles to switch from upward to downward travel, shortening the distance needed to exit the facility.

Accessible Spaces

Typically, accessible parking spaces are a minimum of 8’-0” wide with a minimum 5’-0” wide access aisle. Two adjacent spaces may share the 5’-0” access aisle. Van-accessible parking spaces are minimum 8’-0” wide with a minimum of 8’-0” wide access aisle. Accessible parking spaces should always be in the most convenient location for the user traveling to their final point of destination.

Further, when possible, accessible spaces should always be in covered areas. Accessible spaces should always be the most convenient for the user traveling to their final point of destination. Further, when possible, accessible spaces should always be in covered areas.

Simplify Your Parking Operations and Improve Your Customer Experience with Parqour －Book A Free Demo Today

Parqour is a game-changing software platform designed to optimize parking operations and revolutionize the customer experience. With Parqour, you have access to a comprehensive end-to-end management platform that streamlines your parking operation, drives revenue, reduces operational costs, and boosts transparency.

Seamless Transactions and Integrations

Real-time data and automated plate recognition are just the beginning. Our software offers a host of additional features that will take your parking lot design to the next level. Contactless payments, 99.6% license plate recognition rate, online QR payment, and integration with third-party APIs like Parkmobile, SpotHero, and PayByPhone are just the tip of the iceberg.

Reduced Costs and Streamlined Operations

Do you want to spend less on bulky hardware? Look no further than Parqour. Our software allows you to control all your operations from one centralized platform, eliminating the need to piece together different vendors and integrations. With hardware with zero upfront costs, you can slash your capital expenses while optimizing your parking lot design.

Data-Driven Decisions and Enhanced Control

The benefits of Parqour extend beyond cost savings. Our advanced data analytics tools provide real-time insights into key metrics like occupancy, revenue, utilization, and parking trends. Our validation and permit management features ensure free flow access for approved drivers, while our zoning and violation detection capabilities help you maintain control over POD, VIP, and nested zones.

Are you ready to take your parking lot design to the next level? Book a free demo with Parqour today and discover how our innovative software can transform your parking operation and drive success.