Ingress and EgressThe means of entering and leaving the site• Regulated by state and local governments

• Width• Slope• Drive radius• Pavement composition

• Encroachment permit

Parking Lot Design

Ingress and Egress

• Discourage through traffic• Rule of thumb

• Less than 5000 vehicles/day use single 2-way drive or two 1-way drives

• Align new drives with other access drives• Local regulations

• Distance from corners and other drives

Number of Parking Spaces

• Dictated by local codes• Dependent upon use of the building• Example requirements

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Size of Parking Spaces• Parallel

• Most difficult to access• Avoid if possible

• Ninety-degree• Most spaces per area• Typical size: 9 ft x 18 ft or 19 ft• More difficult to access than angles• Not recommended for short term parking

• Angled • Size varies according to angle• 60 degree parking most common

Accessibility• Accessible parking required

Accessibility

• Size of accessible parking spaces

Accessibility

• Size of accessible parking spaces

ADA ABA Accessibility Guidelines

Aisle Width• Dictated by local codes• Two-way aisle is preferable• Typical two-way aisle is 24 feet wide

• May be less for one-way traffic

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Pedestrian Circulation• Separate pedestrians from traffic• Provide accessible route to entrance from

parking, public transportation, and adjacent buildings

Typical walkway widths• 3 ft wide for one-way • 5 ft wide for two-way

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Pedestrian Circulation

• Align parking spaces or easy pedestrian movement

TM 5-803, Site Planning and Design courtesy Department of the Army. 

Special Vehicle Access

• Plan for access for special vehicles that may access the site• Fire engines• City buses• School buses• Tractor trailers• Garbage trucks

• Research required road widths, turn radii, and parking

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Off-Street Loading Area• Plan for access for loading and

unloading of products and materials• Best practices

• Locate loading area away from traffic• Locate loading area out of view

• Check local requirements

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Waste Disposal

• Plan for dumpster and garbage truck access• Best practice – Screen dumpster from view

• Fence• Wall• Landscaping

• Check local regulations

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Drainage• Traditional design slopes

pavement toward storm drains

• LID techniques• Reduce impervious surface

area• Permeable pavement• Permeable paver blocks• Drain to adjacent buffers,

strips, and swales• Drain to nearby

bioretention areasCourtesy the Environmental Protection Agency

Landscaping

• Improves aesthetics• Building base landscaping• Provides shade• Parking screen (buffer)• Parking islands

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Lighting

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• Improves safety• Often required by local regulations• Provides light to illuminate property but

does not illuminate adjacent property

Example