When designing a parking garage, it’s important to consider everything, from the larger infrastructure to the smaller details, such as lighting and signage. Some of these smaller details can be the difference between a safe and functional garage and a navigational nightmare. If you’re about to open a parking garage or similar structure, make sure you’ve accounted for these ten signs you should include in your facility.
Handicap and Accessible Parking Signs
One of the first aspects of parking garage design to consider is accessibility. For your commercial garage to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), your facility must have a certain number of reserved, accessible parking spaces. Denote these spaces with a handicapped parking sign to reserve these spots for the appropriate customers. It’s also important to note where these spots are located. Handicap parking spots must be accessible to the door of your garage or building and provide ramp access for wheelchairs and other mobility devices.
Pedestrian Crossing Signs
Promoting safety should be one of your top concerns when placing parking lot signage. In any parking lot or structure, it’s crucial for pedestrians and drivers to share the space. Provide pedestrians with a safe path to navigate your facility by including pedestrian crossing signs and other awareness reminders, such as “no texting” signs. Pedestrian crossing signs are especially important in high-traffic areas where visitors walk back and forth from their vehicles.
Fire and Emergency Signs
Another way to promote safety throughout your parking facility is to clearly designate fire routes and guidelines with signage. Some spots may be reserved for emergency services in case of fires or other events, which you’ll want to mark with a “no parking fire lane” sign. This helps promote clearer communication and encourages customers to comply with fire safety rules.
Speed Limit Signs
Speed limit signs are another type of signage required to keep your facility safe. Some drivers may not be conscious of their speeds while circling and looking out for a parking space. Remind them to keep it to a slow and safe speed with speed limit signs.
You can also include speed feedback signs to notify drivers of their speed while navigating your structure for increased safety. However, many of these sign models require solar power to operate, so choose a variety that would work in a covered parking structure.
Directional Parking Signs
Navigating traditional parking structures can be difficult. Because of their multi-level design, some structures can feel almost maze-like while driving through. Help your patrons find their way to certain levels, entrances, and exits by placing directional signage throughout your facility. These signs are also crucial for promoting driver safety, especially when denoting one-way paths to avoid vehicle traffic and collisions.
Directional signage is also important for modern facilities that use automated vertical car parking systems. You’ll need proper signage to lead customers to automated valet parking, where they can drop off their vehicles and pick them up.
Stop Signs
Because of the low speed limits, you may not think stop signs are necessary in a parking structure. However, stop signs are crucial for promoting safe driving in your lot or garage. Stop signs are key for marking pedestrian crossings, traffic crossings, and exits to your facility. Stop signs make customers less likely to speed carelessly around your garage.
Parking Rate and Availability Signs
As a parking structure owner, it’s important to consider how your customers interact with your facility. No driver wants to be surprised with their parking rate only after they’ve already parked their vehicle. Additionally, it’s important to keep potential customers updated on your garage’s capacity and how many vehicles it can fit. If your garage is full, don’t waste your potential customers’ time by having them drive around in circles looking for a spot anyway. Modern parking technology, such as automated vertical car parking systems, can help you keep track of available spaces so that you can keep your customers updated with storage availability before they enter the garage.
Clearance Signage
Another important piece of information to present to your customers before they enter your facility is the clearance levels. Many parking garages use hanging clearance bars or signage to visually display the height of the structure’s ceilings and how short a vehicle must be to fit. Without proper clearance signage, parking garage owners can face liability for vehicle damage that may occur, such as scraped roofs. This is why this type of signage is crucial at the entrance and throughout your garage. We recommend posting a clearance sign on every level of your structure, especially where height levels may dip or vary, such as near ramps.
Surveillance Notices
Traditional parking garages can often experience theft due to the large volume of unattended vehicles with potential valuables left inside. This is why many owners and operators choose to install additional security measures, such as surveillance cameras around their facilities. Cameras themselves can help you monitor conditions and suspicious individuals.
Another effective anti-theft measure is to post notices throughout your facility that it uses surveillance cameras and that they monitor each level. Criminals are less likely to commit theft and other crimes when they know they are being recorded. For this reason, surveillance notices can be just as effective as the cameras themselves. You can also leave notices for customers recommending they take their valuables with them to further prevent theft and damage.
Informational Signage
Finally, information signage is important for modern parking garages that utilize innovative technology, such as stack parking. Many customers won’t be accustomed to using and navigating these parking systems, which is why information signage is so important. If your business uses automated or semi-automated systems, provide your customers with signs leading them to the automated valet system or other loading spaces. You can also include informative signs in the waiting area or lobby of your structure where customers request their vehicles when they return.
Use these ten signs to include in your parking garage as a checklist before you open your facility. While you’re making inclusions to your garage, consider investing in parking solutions and technology from Harding Steel. We offer automated vertical car parking systems to promote more space in the average facility and streamline the parking process. Visit our website today to learn more about how parking technology can benefit your business.
