Standard Dimensions of Roadside Parking Spaces?
3 Answers
According to the "Specifications for Setting On-Street Parking Spaces on Urban Roads," the standard dimensions of general parking spaces are determined based on vehicle size. Small parking spaces typically measure 2.5~2.7 meters in width and 5~6 meters in length. The width of a single-lane turning lane should be no less than 3.5 meters, while a double-lane turning lane should be no less than 5 meters. The turning area should accommodate a vehicle's one-time turning needs. For safety or to accommodate medium and large vehicles, parking spaces are often set to 6 meters or longer. Details are as follows: (Length ≤ 6m, width ≤ 1.8m): The spacing between vehicles should be no less than 0.5 meters, and the distance between a vehicle and walls or the ends of the parking space should also be no less than 0.5 meters. (6m < length ≤ 8m, 1.8m < width ≤ 2.2m): 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 type. Per the "Architectural Design Specifications for Parking Garages," the dimensions for small car parking spaces in indoor garages are as follows: The external design dimensions of 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 driveway width of 5.5m at the front. The minimum distance between small cars and side walls should be 0.6m, and the distance to front/rear walls should be 0.5m. Modern underground garages have large floor areas and numerous parking spaces. To ensure smooth vehicle movement, driveways are planned to be relatively wide. Driveways, as horizontal passages dedicated to parking spaces, account for a significant portion of the floor area—often 50% or more of the total parking space area. Parking space arrangements can be categorized 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 6m, width 2.5m. Angled parking space: Diagonal length 6m, width 2.8m, with a vertical distance of 2.5m between the two angled lines. Perpendicular parking space: Length ≥ 5m (typically 6m), width 2.5m. The optimal standard size is 2.5m × 5.3m. The "Road Traffic Safety Law" stipulates that on-street parking spaces are prohibited on roads with a width of less than 6m, as well as on crosswalks, expressways, and main roads. On urban roads, government authorities may designate parking spaces where pedestrian and vehicle traffic is not impeded. On-street parking spaces should not interfere with non-motorized vehicle passage or encroach on their space. They should not be set near intersections, building entrances, or bus stops. Parking restrictions (e.g., vehicle type, time limits) must be clearly marked with signs. Measures should be taken to avoid obstructing traffic flow. Additionally, on-street parking spaces must not have ground locks to prevent private occupation. Roads where parking is prohibited may feature barriers, bollards, or curbs. When parking spaces are removed, all related markings and signs must be cleared promptly to prevent illegal parking. On-street parking spaces should not be set within 200m–300m of off-street public parking lots. Quantitative rules for on-street parking space setup: The "Specifications for Setting On-Street Parking Spaces on Urban Roads" provide quantitative guidelines based on road width. For two-way roads: if the actual width exceeds 12m, parking spaces may be set on both sides; if between 12m and 8m, parking may be allowed on one side; if less than 8m, no parking spaces are permitted. For one-way roads: if the actual width exceeds 9m, parking may be allowed on both sides; if between 9m and 6m, parking may be allowed on one side; if less than 6m, no parking spaces are permitted. For disabled parking spaces, the specifications require that at least 2% of total parking spaces be designated for disabled use, with a minimum of one space if there are 20 or more parking spots. Parking space marking colors: White: Paid parking spaces. Blue: Free parking spaces. Yellow: Reserved parking spaces. Time-limited parking spaces: Dashed borders (10cm line width) with permitted parking times marked inside (60cm-high numbers). Disabled parking spaces: Special markings with yellow grid lines on both sides indicating no-parking zones for boarding/alighting. Other vehicles must not occupy these spaces. The yellow grid lines should be 120cm wide, with 20cm outer lines and 45° internal angles matching the parking space length. Prohibited areas for on-street parking spaces: Fire lanes, roads 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 for the visually impaired). Near building entrances. Within 50m of intersections, railroad crossings, sharp curves, narrow roads (<4m), bridges, steep slopes, or tunnels. Within 30m of bus stops, emergency stations, gas stations, fire hydrants, or fire stations (except for authorized vehicles). Within 20m of intersection channelization zones. Within 15m of underground utility (water, electricity, gas) access points. Within 200m of off-street parking lot entrances.
I often park on the roadside and am quite familiar with standard parking space dimensions. Small parking spaces are typically 6 meters long and 2.5 meters wide, which is sufficient for regular sedans. However, in older urban areas, some spaces are noticeably smaller, with widths sometimes less than 2 meters, making it difficult to open the car door after parking. Once, when I drove my friend’s SUV with a width of 1.9 meters, the side mirrors nearly scraped the adjacent car in a narrow space. Before parking, I usually step out and measure the space with my footsteps—six steps long and two and a half steps wide is my basic rule of thumb. Some parking spaces near mall entrances are intentionally widened to 3 meters to make it easier for passengers to get in and out. With the increasing number of new energy vehicles, I suggest leaving extra space for charging stations during planning; otherwise, it can be awkward if the charging cable can’t reach the socket.
As an urban observer, I've noticed that parking space size standards are actually dynamic. National regulations stipulate a minimum size of 5m × 2.5m, but core areas in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou commonly adopt 6m × 2.5m specifications. Interestingly, disabled parking spaces require a width of 3.5m - a whole car door's width more than standard spaces. During my travels in Europe, I observed their angled parking spaces are more space-efficient, accommodating vehicles in just 5.5m length. Some newly built smart parking spaces in China are now equipped with sensors that automatically alert when vehicles park over the lines. As vehicle sizes increase, standards may need future adjustments, particularly for EV charging spaces which require an additional 1m length.
