The parking lot acts as the first point of interaction for prospective employees, tenants, and clients. Therefore, it has to be safe, secure, and well-organized. If it is unattractive, uneven, hard to navigate, and has inadequate signage, visitors won’t feel comfortable and are less likely to return.
Recently, insurance claims for incidents in parking lots have increased, indicating a considerable increase in parking lot catastrophes.
This article focuses on the best practices to control traffic flow in parking lots and make them more organized.
Table of Contents
1. Install Bollards
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Bollards tell cars, pedestrians, and bikes where to go. They can be used to designate emergency routes, such as fire lanes, and to delineate routes and locations for pickup and drop-off. As a result, they are an essential strategy to keep parking lots safe and traffic flowing.
Install permanent security bollards to indicate which areas are off-limits and which are available for parking. They are always effective because parking in areas walled off or too tiny for automobiles is illegal for drivers.
Bollards can also alert motorists to approaching dangers or prevent vehicles from damaging nearby property, such as the side of a business with a drive-up window. Installing them in many areas with heavy foot and vehicle traffic can help manage traffic patterns to prevent collisions and impede vehicle access.
Just ensure you install quality bollards from brands like That’s My Spot. Furthermore, place them between open spaces at similar distances to regulate parking.
2. Enforce Parking Spaces
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Parking lot line markers that are easily readable will help your clients and customers know where to park.
Furthermore, having clearly defined, regularly spaced lines will stop automobiles from being parked too close to one another. Easy entry into and out of parking stalls attracts people to your facility. On the other hand, tight parking stalls may have the reverse effect of keeping many consumers away.
It will be easier to stop drivers from parking in inappropriate spots, including loading zones, fire routes, or disability spots, if the parking lot borders are well designated. Apart from painting lines for parking lots, try marking for specific parking lot sections, such as loading zones and handicapped locations. Unmarked lines risk forcing drivers to park their cars over the line and into the driveway. Having well-defined parking lot line markers is crucial.
3. Place Signage
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All drivers, even those in parking spaces, receive training on promptly identifying and reacting to various traffic signs and markings. Ensuring your business pavement is constantly marked per drivers’ expectations may make it easier for them to use your parking lot. Post regulatory signs informing drivers of the parking regulations that are in effect in a particular location. Think about putting signs with the following text on them:
- “Parking is not allowed.”
- “Loading for only 20 minutes”
- “Parking Only With Permission”
- “Parking for Faculty Only”
Using dynamic LED signs to provide precise parking locations helps drivers stay focused. They also save time by not having to look for a park. Additionally, giving drivers accurate directions on getting a vacant parking space discourages them from driving slowly around the entire parking lot, slows down traffic, and causes a backup.
4. Monitor The Flow Of Traffic Using Technology
Investing in the newest technologies can significantly improve your traffic management in parking areas.
Use a mobile solution to enhance the parking enforcement. For example, Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPRs) are mounted devices that read license plate numbers using a scanning capability and record the results in a central database. Property owners and managers are given real-time warnings, enabling them to act on parking infractions.
Smart parking sensors use IoT capabilities to offer infinite real-time smart parking and traffic benefits. Drivers’ time spent hunting for parking spaces is significantly reduced thanks to these sensors. The Parking-Routing Information System (PRIS) receives real-time sensor communication to direct cars to open parking spots.
For example, the sensors can measure the number of cars in a big parking lot and identify available spots. It then instantly transmits this data to an app. This invention makes it feasible to control traffic congestion effectively brought on by parking.
5. Implement Parking Enforcement
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Parking enforcement helps ensure efficient traffic flow. For instance, an invention that base parking rates on the length of cars can help in traffic management. Drivers should pay higher parking rates per their preferences because larger and longer cars are typically more expensive. The system implements a democratic measure that charges drivers for the actual amount of space they use rather than simply the time they use it.
With technology, you can monitor parked vehicles, determine if they adhere to parking fees and regulations, and issue parking tickets through digital parking enforcement. Parking authorities and enforcement personnel can access an enforcement system in real-time using a linked handheld device with online parking enforcement.
Cloud-based parking enforcement is utilized because of its ability to increase accuracy and efficiency in parking enforcement.
Bottom Line
Twenty years ago, it wasn’t necessary to accomplish the significant goals of controlling traffic and ensuring safety. Today, it is a major part of enhancing customer experience.
Given the possibilities of intelligent parking innovations, smart parking will likely play a role in saving the planet. A well-maintained parking space with well-defined lines and other characteristics makes it easy for people to stroll, park, and maneuver. This is what makes a parking area appealing to guests.
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