Wayfinding in Large Parking Facilities
By Elvis Reyes, CAPP
It’s a common scene to watch vehicles circling in parking lots and parking facilities with a lost look on their faces as they struggle to find open parking stalls. Even more so when most consumers prefer to park close to their desired destination, thus creating the need for wayfinding in these large parking facilities.
Studies have shown that most consumers will assume a parking garage is full once they reach the fourth floor of a garage and still do not see any available spaces. We essentially hope to eliminate this with LED space counters at the entrance of the garage. When managed correctly, this method has shown itself to be a game-changer for our industry.
The question becomes: is the cost associated with this equipment worth it for us as an operator and our owners? Is basic static signage enough to alleviate the way-finding concerns? Do we take a step back in time and simply staff these facilities with human arrows?
Overall, in my opinion, yes, the satisfaction of our consumers outweighs the cost of installing this equipment in our facilities to ensure they will return later and improve the overall functionality of our facility.
Elvis Reyes, CAPP, is a General Manager for The Car Park. He can be reached at ereyes@thecarpark.com.