Given the importance of parking lots for commercial facilities, you should consider all of the essential factors while planning to construct a parking lot on your property. This blog post discusses the five most important factors that should be considered before installing a parking lot for your business.
Professional asphalt paving companies like The Pavement Group, serving Framingham, MA, and other locations across the US, can further advise you regarding parking lot installation.
Parking Lot Design
There are many parking lot design considerations to take into account. These standards govern surface type, slope requirements, ramp lengths and widths, turf areas, and vertical clearance to accommodate overhead obstructions, such as power lines or low-hanging tree branches. They also address safety considerations, including curb heights and edge treatments at intersections with other parking facilities or sidewalks where pedestrians may cross over into the parking lot from either side of the street.
Choice of an Appropriate Construction Material
For parking lot construction, a material with excellent drainage capability is necessary to prevent water from pooling and flooding the surface. The most popular parking lot paving materials are asphalt and concrete.
Asphalt:
Asphalt has an extensive history of use in parking lots for its economic value and environmental friendliness. Asphalt parking lots are often made up of a mixture of asphalt and limestone aggregate, which provides excellent drainage, especially for areas where the ground is not sufficiently permeable.
Concrete:
It offers more durability, but it is also more expensive than asphalt. Concrete parking lots can be installed as a resurfacing over existing asphalt or concrete parking areas that have been heavily trafficked and may have lost some of their original surface texture due to wear and tear.
Efficiently Designed Parking Spaces
The following are some essential considerations for parking spaces:
- Parking spaces should be designed to accommodate vehicles of various sizes.
- There should be easily accessible handicap parking spaces marked with appropriate signage.
- Parking spaces should not be too close together and should be arranged in a way that makes sense to minimize congestion and confusion. For example, angled parking is often more efficient than straight rows, where cars can only move forward.
Lighting Considerations
There needs to be adequate lighting on both sides of parking lanes so that vehicles have ample time to see oncoming traffic. It is essential to install light poles in both directions. This ensures that drivers have adequate time to see oncoming traffic as they exit a parking space, and it also ensures pedestrians can easily spot cars coming down the parking lane before crossing.
Proper Signage
The following are some essential considerations for signage:
- Signs should be positioned so parking spaces are visible from the main entrances.
- Signage should not block visibility or restrict parking space access.
- Signs should be high enough to be visible from parking spaces.
- Signage should warn drivers against parking in fire lanes or other hazardous areas, such as handicap parking spots.
If you are from around Framingham, MA, and planning to install a parking lot, get in touch with The Pavement Group. We have been providing high quality asphalt paving services to customers nationwide across the US for several years.