When it comes to asphalt parking lots for schools, there are a few things you must keep in mind for the safety of students, parents, and employees. One of the most common complaints heard by administrators is frustration with access during high-traffic times on the campus, especially dropoff and pickup. With the help of an experienced asphalt paving contractor, though, you won’t have to think twice about your parking lot being easy to access or safe. Here are the top things you can do to maintain your parking lot, even during the busiest times of the school year.
Proactive Maintenance
By far, the best thing you can do to ensure that your parking lot is ready for heavy traffic throughout the school year is to keep an asphalt maintenance and repair schedule. How well your parking lot fares from fall to summer depends heavily on your willingness to repair even small areas of deterioration when they become noticeable. Like with most things, the longer you wait to repair asphalt paving, the more extensive and expensive it will become. By calling in your parking lot contractor at the first sign of an issue, you’ll avoid costly repairs that could shut down access to your school for weeks. Before students are back, check over your maintenance schedule or call your contractor as soon as possible if you don’t already have a set plan in place.
Marked Parking Spots and Loading Zones
One of the best ways to keep students safe in a high-traffic parking lot is to have appropriately marked directions, parking, and loading areas. You’ll need to make sure that your striping is fresh and can be visible even during heavy rain and snow, like we often see in New England. There is also a requirement for schools through the Americans with Disabilities Act that accessible parking spaces are measured correctly, appropriately labeled, and have the correct number of spaces for the size of the lot. Asphalt contractors have specialized stencils and painting techniques that make your parking lot directions clear and keep traffic moving during busy times.
Functional Curbs
Not only is the parking lot itself essential to maintain, but you should make sure there is a seamless transition from the parking areas to the sidewalk. The curbs play a vital role in the safety of pedestrians and the functionality of the asphalt blacktop. Poorly installed curbs or those that haven’t been repaired trap water and keep it pooling on the surface. This causes untimely breakdown and massive issues in the parking lot like asphalt potholes and cracks. Protruding curbs also increase your school’s liability because of the falling hazard they present.
Ensure a High-Quality Parking Lot
At Cassidy Paving, we highly suggest that you don’t wait to repair or update your school’s parking lot. The safety of your students starts outside of the doors with the right parking lot repair service. Give us a call today at 866-978-9788 to discuss your concerns and get our crew out for an inspection before school is back in session.