A parking lot is a silent partner that makes a significant contribution to the success of any commercial endeavor. However, merely paving over a vacant spot of land is not enough to provide you with a proper parking lot. Instead, you need an effective asphalt parking lot design that considers how your parking lot will be used, how many vehicles you can or must accommodate, and how easy it will be for people to navigate your parking lot.
Why Does Usage Matter for Asphalt Parking Lot Design?
A new asphalt parking lot is not just a single layer of paving material that has a universal thickness. Instead, an Austin asphalt paved parking lot consists of multiple courses of asphalt on top of an aggregate base. In general, an asphalt paving lot in Austin that supports heavy trucks needs thicker asphalt and a thicker base than one that only passenger vehicles will use. In addition to the weight, contractors must also consider the number of vehicles that will come and go over the course of a typical day. If either the asphalt or the base lacks the necessary strength, you will quickly be calling for your first parking lot repair, and you will probably need to keep calling for repairs throughout your pavement’s brief life.
When designing an asphalt parking lot, the first priority for contractors is understanding how the customer intends to use the space. Unfortunately, in an effort to cut costs, some customers may understate expected traffic—claiming, for example, that no heavy trucks will use the lot or that daily traffic will be just 500 vehicles when it’s actually closer to 5,000. While this might reduce initial construction costs, it often leads to frequent and costly repairs, and ultimately, full pavement replacement when the lot deteriorates beyond repair.
Why Does the Number of Spaces Matter for Asphalt Parking Lot Design?
Once contractors construct an Austin asphalt paving lot, the only way you can provide additional parking spaces is to expand your pavement. Therefore, it is important to determine how many spaces you must or want to provide as well as their sizes. If all spaces could be uniform in size, calculating the number of spaces would be simple. However, by federal law, you will need to reserve some spaces for van-accessible and car-accessible parking to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
There are two types of accessible parking spaces, each with specific size requirements. The number required depends largely on the total number of spaces in your lot. Some retailers may also need slightly larger spaces to accommodate loading purchases without damaging nearby vehicles or blocking traffic aisles. On the other hand, some spots can be reduced in size and designated for compact cars or motorcycles. Keep in mind that not all pavement can be used for parking—you’ll also need to account for travel aisles, walkways, curbs, cart corrals, and other essential features.
Why Should Contractors Consider Navigability for Asphalt Parking Lot Design?
The ease with which people can navigate your asphalt parking lot is important for several reasons.
1. The traffic in an asphalt paving lot in Austin needs to flow freely. Otherwise, you end up with traffic jams that can be extremely frustrating for your visitors.
2. When people can easily identify how to navigate a new asphalt parking lot, they are less likely to become distracted or confused, which can lead to unsafe actions.
3. Most people will respect your parking lot rules, but they must be able to identify them before they can obey them. Ensuring the navigability of your parking lot can help them determine whether travel lanes are for one- or two-way traffic and other pertinent facts.
4. A parking lot that is easy to navigate is a safer environment, and this may help you reduce your potential liabilities.
RDC Paving can assist you with your asphalt parking lot design, installation, and maintenance. We offer asphalt paving, crack repairs, overlays, milling, sealcoating, and pavement repairs. We also offer parking lot striping, asphalt driveway paving, parking lot maintenance plans, and concrete repair. In addition, we install concrete ADA, concrete driveways, concrete ramps, concrete parking lots, concrete sidewalks, and concrete curbs. We are experienced paving professionals with an outstanding reputation for quality, integrity, and service. If you are interested in receiving a free quote, just let us know by calling 512-920-9155, emailing Ryan@RDCPaving.com, or using the online request form.
