The parking lot can be the first impression of a business or property. If a customer or visitor has a bad experience in the parking lot, this can put them in a bad mood for their interaction with the business. Property owners may be unable to control how busy the parking lot is at a given time or how individuals park in the lot, but they can take ownership of parking lot maintenance. There are a lot of problems common in parking lots, from potholes to fading lines. Let’s examine some of these parking lot problems and how to fix them.
Potholes
Potholes are a hassle for drivers and property owners alike. Along with large cracks and open seams, they can also be dangerous trip hazards for customers and tenants. Potholes typically form when groundwater gets underneath the pavement and freezes from the cold weather. As the temperatures change, the water melts and refreezes, the pavement cracks, and a hole can be formed as the materials weaken and vehicles pass over it. In the Midwest, potholes are the worst in spring once the snow has melted and the cold weather lets up.
Property owners should inspect their lots carefully at the beginning of spring and address any potholes or large cracks in the pavement. Since potholes can cause tires to pop or other vehicle problems, fixing them is vital to ensuring drivers keep their cars safe when visiting the property. Many professional asphalt paving companies can help patch these potholes and get your lot back to tip-top shape.
Unsealed Lot
A big part of parking lot maintenance is proper maintenance. No matter where your property is, it can get damaged when your asphalt parking lot is exposed to the elements. One of the most common tactics to mitigate damage to your lot is to seal your pavement every few years (if not more). A sealcoat will improve the aesthetics of your lot and its longevity. As with potholes, working with asphalt professionals is the best way to get a high-quality sealcoat.
Lot Needs Repaving
If you’ve been keeping up with regular parking lot maintenance over the years, but your lot looks tired, it may be time to take on repaving. Asphalt-paved parking lots should last for many years. If it’s been between 15 and 25 years, the lot is at the end of its life cycle and ready to be entirely repaved. Although a repaving project takes time and money, if you work with a high-quality asphalt paving company, the results will be worth it. They can significantly improve your lot’s functionality and aesthetics.
Fading Lines
Many folks have had the experience of parking in a lot where the lines were blurry or fading and ended up parking crookedly due to this. Aside from being an extra hassle for your customers/visitors, fading parking lot lines can also limit the space available in the lot. If people park crookedly, fewer people can fit in the lot. The solution is to restripe or repaint your lot. This process is best done on a warm, dry day to ensure the paint can dry. Afterward, your lot will have a fresh, bright look that attracts customers.
Adding Spots
One of the biggest parking lot issues property owners may face is inadequate parking spots for the building’s traffic. Sometimes, there may not be an easy solution to this problem, especially if there isn’t room for the parking lot to be extended. Property owners should examine their lot design and consider if they could change some spots to compact car spots, change the angle of the spots to fit more, or take out elements in the lot that are no longer needed (e.g., taking away an extra cart corral in a grocery store lot).
Traffic Flow
Similar to adding spots, traffic flow in the parking lot is an issue that may not have an easy solution. Property owners should watch how vehicles and people move through the lot – do more vehicles enter one side of the lot than the other? Are there a lot of drop-offs and pickups?
Once you observe the traffic patterns, consider any changes that can help with flow. One side of the lot could be a designated entrance, and the other an exit. Each lane can have an arrow denoting the traffic flow, or you can establish a drop-off and pickup zone.
Work With Leritz Busy Bee Paving
At Leritz Busy Bee, we know all things asphalt and paving. Our expert team is ready to work with you in parking lots and on new pavement projects, asphalt maintenance, and municipal asphalt projects. Contact us today!