Parking

DISTRIBUTION CENTERS

OVERVIEW

Parking at Distribution Centers are designated areas exterior to the building where vehicles can park.

Design Goals

  • Provide accessible parking close to the building entrance that aligns with local code
  • Design a parking space that supports the average and maximum need of the facility
  • Ensure parking design enables all vehicles to park in same direction, reducing risk of accidents 
  • Optimize traffic flow by planning for both logistics and employee parking needs, taking into consideration periods of flux. (i.e., shift change and peak work periods or holiday delivery season) 
  • Design parking to support visitors, carpool, motorcycles and a number of reserved spaces that can be allocated as needed to specific employee needs (e.g., pregnancy)
  • Include EV charging per GPS Sustainability Standards

REQUIRED SPECIFICATIONS

  • Electrical

    Lighting

    • Install adequate lighting in the parking area for enhanced visibility 24/7 

  • Wayfinding
    • Clearly communicate direction of traffic, lanes, entrances, exits, and pedestrian walkways with signage and road markings
    • Implement designated crossing points with clear signage and road markings
  • Technology

    Parking Technology

    • OPTIONAL: Consider traffic management systems (i.e., car park sensors indicating the number of available car spaces to support parking efficiency and effectiveness) 

  • Safety and Security
    • Prioritize safety for all people and vehicles 
    • Create separate pathways for pedestrians and vehicles either through hard / soft physical barriers (refer ELC hedging / planting example in image gallery) or road markings to minimize risk of accidents 
    • Provide training for employees on parking procedures, traffic rules, and safety protocols to promote awareness and compliance
  • Operations
    • Where relevant, implement one-way traffic direction to facilitate seamless movement of vehicles (trucks, cars, bikes, etc.)
    • Analyze peak DC times/periods (across all shifts and calendar months) and adjust parking strategy accordingly (i.e., ensure sufficient parking spaces are available for both incoming and outgoing shifts) 
    • Consider staggering shift start and end times to reduce peak congestion 
    • Truck parking or yards separate from car parks for optimized traffic flow

RELEVANT LINKS

GPS Accessibility and Inclusion Standards

View Standards

GPS Distribution Center Sustainability Standards

View Standards

Distribution Center Mobility Standards

View Standards