Parking lot islands and their relation to safety

[Vlaude]

I am looking for any studies on parking lot design, specifically to how parking islands improve safety (help to minimize auto accidents and/or auto-pedestrian accidents).

Thanks!

[Raf]

I am looking for any studies on parking lot design, specifically to how parking islands improve safety (help to minimize auto accidents and/or auto-pedestrian accidents).

Thanks!

They don't. Simply are there for visual and aesthetics. Reduction of speed and auto/ped collisions is a function of parking lot design (i.e. width of drive isles) and clearly labeled and delinted pedestrian paths of travel.

[DetroitPlanner]

I concur with RAF. Not much in the way of crash reduction factors parking lot islands.

[Seana]

New York City Government "Design Standards for Commercial & Community Facility Parking Lots":
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/pdf/park...ot_present.pdf

The islands, many of which have trees, DO improve the safety, though indirectly and not easily measured. A few (probably obvious) instances:

- Pedestrians are much less likely to walk between adjacent rows of cars because walking on/around the foliaged islands is a nuisance.

- In the case study summary (last pdf page), there's an average 9.85% parking permeability increase. NYC has quite a bit of precipitation throughout the year; less "slick" parking lots = improved safety.

- Average tree canopy coverage is 16.15% (case study summary). An uncomfortably warm, perspiring driver in a "sun baked" car may be more likely to have "road rage"--or "parking lot rage," as the case may be. Uncomfortably hot passengers in a "sun-baked" car may be more likely to annoy/distract the driver.

[Vlaude]

Raf, I agree with the idea that it is a function of design. That said, parking islands are a major part of design. As Seana noted the islands can create safer paths for pedestrians. Proper design with islands or other form of a barrier (bio swell) can reduce speeds and better direct traffic. How many times have we seen a person cut across a sea of asphalt or concrete ignoring those painted lane lines? I've seen a couple accidents take place under that scenerio, where I don't think the individual would have jumped a curb, etc. Keeping the vehicle in the drive aisles and reduced speeds would seem to reduce accidents. That said I have no statistics that back up my logic. There are a lot of variables...

We had a discussion in a P&Z meeting and I was asked about studies related to parking islands and their correlation to safety/accident reduction.

Seana, thanks for the info. I actually reviewed that document when I was preparing portions of a landscape ordinance. The document has some good info related to design.

Thanks again everyone for the comments, if anyone comes across a study I'd be very interested in reading it.

[Whose Yur Planner]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't one of the justifications for parking lot islands was that they cut down on the heat island effect?

[The One]

Keep the islands and make it back in parking. I have no idea if this exists anywhere.

On a side note, I was (pleasantly) shocked to see that my employer uses back in parking in Stockton CA at the railyard

[Quinn Haberl]

Keep the islands and make it back in parking. I have no idea if this exists anywhere.

On a side note, I was (pleasantly) shocked to see that my employer uses back in parking in Stockton CA at the railyard

I've never heard of back in parking but I think that's a very interesting idea. Can you explain a little more about how it works, And how you think it may increase pedestrian safety?

[DetroitPlanner]

I've never heard of back in parking but I think that's a very interesting idea. Can you explain a little more about how it works, And how you think it may increase pedestrian safety?

Less blind spots for drivers as they pull out. Back-in parking automatically makes you very aware of your environment while entering the spot.

[Suburb Repairman]

Less blind spots for drivers as they pull out. Back-in parking automatically makes you very aware of your environment while entering the spot.

Also, makes it much safer to pull out because both the vehicle pulling out and vehicle in travel lane can see one another. Also, it is safer if the street also has a lot of bicycle traffic.

I haven't seen it done in a parking lot, but I've seen it as on-street parking in several cities. Austin has done it on a couple of major thoroughfares now.