How Big is a Parking Space?

[VanMalachi]

According to the "Specifications for Setting On-Street Parking Spaces on Urban Roads," the standard size of a parking space is determined by the size of the vehicle. Small parking spaces typically measure 2.5–2.7 meters in width and 5–6 meters in length. A single-lane turning lane should be no less than 3.5 meters wide, while a double-lane turning lane should be no less than 5 meters wide. The turning area should accommodate a vehicle's ability to complete a full turn in one go. For safety reasons or to accommodate medium and large vehicles, spaces are often set to 6 meters or more. Details are as follows: (Length ≤ 6m, width ≤ 1.8m) vehicles: The spacing between vehicles should be no less than 0.5 meters, and the spacing between a vehicle and a wall or the end of the parking space should also be no less than 0.5 meters. (6m < length ≤ 8m, 1.8m < width ≤ 2.2m) vehicles: The spacing between vehicles should be no less than 0.7 meters. Small vehicle parking space: Length ≥ 5 meters, width 2.2–2.5 meters. Large vehicle parking space: Length 7–10 meters, width 4 meters, depending on the vehicle model. According to the "Code for Design of Garages," the dimensions for small car parking spaces in indoor garages are as follows: The design dimensions for small cars are 4.8m (length) × 1.8m (width) × 2.0m (height). For perpendicular parking, the minimum parking space size should be 5.3m (length) × 2.4m (width), with a minimum aisle width of 5.5m in front of the space. The minimum distance between a small car and the side walls should be 0.6m, and the minimum distance from front and rear walls should be 0.5m. Modern underground garages have large floor areas and numerous parking spaces. To ensure smooth traffic flow, the area allocated for driving lanes is relatively large. Driving lanes, as horizontal passages dedicated to parking spaces, account for the majority of the floor area, often occupying 50% or more of the total parking space area. Parking space arrangements can be divided into three types: parallel, angled (30°, 45°, 60°), and perpendicular. Large vehicle parking spaces should not use angled or perpendicular arrangements. Details are as follows: Parallel parking space: Standard length of 6 meters, width of 2.5 meters. Angled parking space: Diagonal length of 6 meters, width of 2.8 meters, with a perpendicular distance of 2.5 meters between the two angled lines. Perpendicular parking space: Length ≥ 5 meters (typically set to 6 meters), width of 2.5 meters. The optimal standard size is 2.5m × 5.3m. The "Road Traffic Safety Law" stipulates that on-street parking spaces cannot be set on roads with a width of less than 6 meters for motor vehicle traffic. Pedestrian crossings, expressways, and main roads are also prohibited from having parking spaces. Within urban road areas, relevant government departments may designate parking spaces where they do not impede pedestrian or vehicle traffic. On-street parking spaces should not interfere with non-motorized vehicle traffic or encroach on their space. They should not be set near intersections, building entrances, or bus stops. Parking space types and time limits should be indicated via signage. Measures should be taken to avoid obstructing traffic flow in motor vehicle lanes. Additionally, on-street parking spaces should not be equipped with ground locks to prevent private occupancy. Roads where parking is prohibited may have barriers, posts, or other isolation facilities on one side. When parking spaces are removed or canceled, all related markings and management facilities should be promptly cleared to prevent continued parking and ensure road safety. Furthermore, on-street parking spaces should not be set within 200–300 meters of off-street public parking lots. Quantitative regulations for on-street parking spaces: The "Specifications for Setting On-Street Parking Spaces on Urban Roads" provide quantitative regulations based on road width. For two-way roads: If the actual road width exceeds 12 meters, parking spaces may be set on both sides; if between 12 and 8 meters, on one side; if less than 8 meters, no spaces may be set. For one-way roads: If the actual road width exceeds 9 meters, parking spaces may be set on both sides; if between 9 and 6 meters, on one side; if less than 6 meters, no spaces may be set. Regarding accessible parking spaces, the specifications state that on-street parking spaces should include accessible spaces, accounting for no less than 2% of the total. If there are more than 20 parking spaces, at least one accessible space should be provided. Parking space marking colors: White: Paid parking space; Blue: Free parking space; Yellow: Reserved parking space; Time-limited parking spaces: Dashed border (10cm line width) with permitted parking times indicated inside (60cm-high numbers). Accessible parking spaces: Special markings; yellow grid lines on both sides indicate no-parking zones for boarding/alighting. Other vehicles must not occupy these spaces. Yellow grid lines: 120cm width; outer line width: 20cm; inner fill line width: 0cm; 45° angle to outer lines; outer line length matches parking space length. Requirements for prohibiting on-street parking spaces: Fire lanes, sections with no-parking signs/markings, or construction zones that impede traffic; Roads designated for disaster relief or emergency evacuation; Sidewalks (if set, must not encroach on tactile paving); Near building entrances; Intersections, railway crossings, sharp curves, narrow roads (<4m), bridges, steep slopes, tunnels, or within 50m of such locations; Within 30m of bus stops, emergency stations, gas stations, fire hydrants, or fire stations (except for facility use); Within 20m of intersection channelized areas; Near underground utility access points or within 15m of such locations; Within 200m of off-street parking lot entrances;

[LaHarley]

As someone who frequently commutes by car, I find parking space dimensions crucial. In practice, the standard width is usually around 2.5 meters, and the length is about 5 meters, which is quite friendly for regular sedans. However, I've parked in a narrow spot in the city center that was only 2.3 meters wide, making it difficult to open the car doors and increasing the risk of scratching the paint. In terms of length, 5 meters is just enough to park the car securely without protruding beyond the line, reducing the risk of fines. Older residential areas or roadside parking spaces are often smaller, causing driving stress. I recommend visually assessing the adjacent space and width before choosing a spot—for example, shopping mall spaces might be as wide as 2.6 meters, which is safer. Considering the differences in car types, SUVs require more width; otherwise, reversing into the space may frequently result in hitting the walls.