If you are building a new apartment complex, or doing renovations on an existing property and need to have a driveway put in, there is a lot of planning that will go into it. This is not like having a driveway poured for your home, where you only have one or two vehicles to worry about in most cases. With a complex, there are going to be many vehicles coming and going at all hours of the day and night, and you need to make sure that they have adequate driveway space. Here are some of the things that will go into commercial driveway planning.

Throat Length

The amount of space between the end of the driveway and the road is referred to as throat space. Generally, smaller developments that have signalized driveways need to be five to six car lengths, and if there is not signalized access, the length should be two to three car lengths. When you do not have at least a two-car length in a commercial driveway, there can end up being traffic problems, especially at certain times of the day when tenants are travelling to and from work. It can also cause problems when vehicles are turning into the driveway while others are trying to exit.

Circulation

There will also be many things that you need to consider when it comes to internal circulation. For instance, the throat length should be long enough to allow for proper turning within the driveway. Also, the driveway needs to be wide enough to accommodate at least two vehicles so people can come and go at the same time. This way, there will be no traffic congestion, especially during rush hours.

Grade

The grade of the driveway is also something that you will need to consider. For instance, if you don't have a lot of space for a long driveway, you may want to consider having it on more of a grade, so it is steeper and provides the length you need. This is also good for ensuring that rain water drains from the parking lot properly.

Another reason why it is a good idea to have a steeper grade is that it helps to control the speed that vehicles are driven at while on your property. If there is a steep grade, drivers are going to be careful to drive more slowly along the driveway. This is also going to make it easier to get stopped before turning onto the road.

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