Creative Parking Solutions

Downtowns have wrestled with the issue of parking for many years and have considered a number of solutions to increase the number of parking spaces available to employees and customers. Some of these solutions include:

Employee designated Parking lots
Shared Lots
Parking Structures
Surface Lots
Permit Only Parking

A practical solution may also be the installation of Mechanical Parking Systems. These systems are designed to increase the density of parking arrangements by fitting more than one car into the standard sized parking space. They can be customized to fit any use, including residential, office, retail or industrial.

Mechanical Parking Systems are unique, in that they require little effort on the part of the individual using it. The patron drives forward onto the steel pallet that is flush with the floor, while channels on the side guide the wheels into the proper position. After retrieving all belongings from the car, the patron activates the system using an electronically encoded card. The entry door closes automatically, and the system records the measurements of the car to determine which space it will occupy. This information is stored with the identification information provided by the electronically encoded card. Retrieving a vehicle is simple; the electronic card is presented and the vehicle is retrieved and delivered to the exit area.

Some types of Mechanical Parking Systems include:

1. Standard Spacesaver
This system stacks two to three cars in the same area as an individual parking space. The main advantage of this style is of "independent parking" - any car can be removed without moving another car.

2. Parksafe
This automated system allows for the highest, most dense number of cars within a very small floor area plan. It is an automatically controlled parking system with a vertical conveyor and storage shelves arranged to either side.

3. Display Tower
Specially designed for downtown car dealerships, this vertical showroom allows vehicles to be attractively displayed while offering safety and security advantages for dealers. The design can be adapted to suit all popular vehicle sizes.

Advantages of Mechanical Parking Systems:

Reduced lighting and ventilation maintenance costs
Lower personnel costs - parking attendants are unnecessary
Double the number of parking spaces to accommodate the same number of cars as conventional garages
Lower insurance costs because of reduced chances of vehicle damage and personal injury

Suggested Links:

http://www.woehr.de/engl/source/frameset.htm - One of the leading manufacturers of car parking systems in Germany. Founded in 1902.

http://www.npapark.org/ - National Parking Association, located in Washington D.C. Offers a number of services, including links to companies, products and services.

http://www.emich.edu/public/geo/557book/c212.pkg.html - Site dedicated to the issue of parking in downtowns.

Acknowledgements:

Graphics and Data - http://www.spacesaverparking.com/default.htm - "Spacesaver Parking Company" (Permission give on 11/25/02)
Data - http://aclifts.com/ - "American Custom Lifts"

**Suggested other pages...**
The automobile