Should parking lots be connected?

[hotdogPi]

Examples of parking lots that I feel should be connected but aren't:

Salem, NH

Andover, MA

Haverhill, MA

Reading, MA (yes, the grocery stores are competitors, but from what I've heard, many customers go to both to get different items)

Woburn, MA

Connected:

Methuen, MA (there's now a do not enter sign post-GSV behind the Home Depot that I disagree with, but you're still allowed to turn right before you reach the Home Depot)

North Andover, MA (this one's more complicated because you can only exit at one location to improve traffic flow)

Derry, NH

[CoreySamson]

In general, I think so. It allows for easier ingress/egress IMO.

Some that aren't connected but I think should be:

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.0475602,-95.4601177,3a,75y,279.93h,90.41t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1smDpT8U_fg2v3PxGMkuEBmQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.1726396,-95.4332132,3a,15y,306.88h,83.87t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s4EFaCohIyZL6JjZ_MPz4hA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

[1995hoo]

Some businesses don't want them connected because you run into issues with the people who drive through them, sometimes at inappropriately high speeds, to bypass traffic or to avoid stopping at red lights (similar to the people who cut through gas stations to avoid red lights, the people who prompted the so-called Esso Asso Laws some states have).

[Ned Weasel]

Some businesses don't want them connected because you run into issues with the people who drive through them, sometimes at inappropriately high speeds, to bypass traffic or to avoid stopping at red lights (similar to the people who cut through gas stations to avoid red lights, the people who prompted the so-called Esso Asso Laws some states have).

Then connect them and design them to calm traffic!   

[webny99]

Some businesses don't want them connected because you run into issues with the people who drive through them, sometimes at inappropriately high speeds, to bypass traffic or to avoid stopping at red lights (similar to the people who cut through gas stations to avoid red lights, the people who prompted the so-called Esso Asso Laws some states have).

This is a valid concern, but in general, I am in favor of better connectivity. It also depends on the context; often that happens even with existing connections, such as at gas stations.

It should be really easy to come up with examples, but I'm struggling so far. I'll post them as I think of them.

[webny99]

Here is an interesting case study: East Ave Wegmans parking lot in Rochester, NY. The store is sandwiched between East Ave and University Ave, such that the main entrances visible in the Street View link were formerly used to connect between the the two roads. Nearby Probert St. is one-way (northbound only), so the Wegmans parking lot was the only southbound connector between Winton Rd. and East Blvd - nearly a mile stretch.

Traffic was so bad, however, and the Wegmans parking lot road so poorly designed for through traffic, that they built this makeshift hedge and put up the "No Thru Traffic" signs. As annoying as that is, it's completely understandable given how busy the store is on its own and the terrible congestion that ensued when adding through traffic to the mix.

[andrepoiy]

Where I live, most new commercial/retail areas are built as plazas, meaning all of the businesses are built around the parking lot and thus, share the parking lot. I feel like these are a lot better for traffic flow on the main road compared to older businesses and strip malls with their own cuts in the road and parking lots that don't connect. Traffic is a lot better since cars can only ingress/egress at the few selected points (larger plazas get a traffic signal), and one can go to different businesses without needing to enter the main road again. Thus, I'm for connecting parking lots.

[GaryV]

Years ago when Best Buy opened in my area, its parking lot adjoined the lot of the bowling alley next door.  The bowling alley put in barriers and erected a fence because the hoards of Best Buy customers coming to try this new thing overwhelmed their parking lot.

[1995hoo]

Years ago when Best Buy opened in my area, its parking lot adjoined the lot of the bowling alley next door.  The bowling alley put in barriers and erected a fence because the hoards of Best Buy customers coming to try this new thing overwhelmed their parking lot.

Surely we've all seen commercial lots with signs along the lines of "If you leave these premises while parked here, you will be towed." I've wondered a few times recently how that might work out with electric vehicle chargers. For example, there's a Tesla Supercharger in the parking lot at Springfield Mall near my neighborhood, and then the parking garage outside Macy's at the same mall has some non-Tesla EV chargers. Commuter parking is permitted at the mall, but only in a designated area that does not include either the Supercharger or the other EV chargers. I've sometimes wondered whether someone who parks to use the chargers and then leaves mall property (say, to walk across the street to the Dunkin' Donuts or Zpizza) is subject to being towed.

Car and Driver reported a few years ago that this sort of thing is less trivial than it might seem. They were doing a coast-to-coast roadtrip in a Tesla Model S and they noted that an essential part of trip planning is finding out what sorts of businesses are located near the Superchargers because often you'll have to walk some distance, sometimes via unpleasant routes, in order to get some food or the like while your car is connected to the charger.

[jeffandnicole]

Years ago when Best Buy opened in my area, its parking lot adjoined the lot of the bowling alley next door.  The bowling alley put in barriers and erected a fence because the hoards of Best Buy customers coming to try this new thing overwhelmed their parking lot.

Surely we've all seen commercial lots with signs along the lines of "If you leave these premises while parked here, you will be towed." I've wondered a few times recently how that might work out with electric vehicle chargers. For example, there's a Tesla Supercharger in the parking lot at Springfield Mall near my neighborhood, and then the parking garage outside Macy's at the same mall has some non-Tesla EV chargers. Commuter parking is permitted at the mall, but only in a designated area that does not include either the Supercharger or the other EV chargers. I've sometimes wondered whether someone who parks to use the chargers and then leaves mall property (say, to walk across the street to the Dunkin' Donuts or Zpizza) is subject to being towed.

I would hope part of the leasing/installation contract is that no one will be towed for using those chargers, even if they walk away for short periods of time.

[jp the roadgeek]

The fact that these two are not connected drives me (and locals) crazy

[CoreySamson]

The fact that these two are not connected drives me (and locals) crazy

That building in the background surely tells me why! 

[D-Dey65]

Personally, I like the idea of connecting them by frontage roads. When I was dragged down to Florida, I was amazed at how much frontage roads and the ROWs for them were embraced in Hernando County along US 19 and FL 50. It's the kind of thing NYSDOT was planning for NY 25 back when they still wanted to turn NY 347 into an expressway in 1973. Unfortunately, you've got a lot of ROWs where they build other businesses on top of them or cut them off with parking lots, driveways, big signs, etcetera.

Every now and then though, you'll find some that are connected to residential streets, and in some cases take them over completely. This creates situations where people going to a local Home Depot or something will drive down local streets there not supposed to be in, no matter how many signs you put up there telling them no commercial traffic except local delivery or under a certain weight or whatever.

[tolbs17]

Yes, and can we add a poll?

[hotdogPi]

Yes, and can we add a poll?

Poll added.

[doorknob60]

It really bothers me when they're not connected if there's an easy/obvious way to connect them. Luckily, I can't think of any examples of this around Boise, all the big shopping areas I can think of are fairly well connected.

Here's an annoying one I found in Ogden, UT though, especially considering how busy US-89 is, it would be great to access the signal from this parking lot. https://www.google.com/maps/@41.1893288,-111.9818931,3a,75y,25.66h,76.97t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sRPa3IrhoeREYhZjQECXJEA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Here's something similar that used to be a problem in Meridian, ID. There was no connection other than busy Eagle Rd between The Village shopping complex to the south, and the Gateway Marketplace to the north. When I lived closer, I would often visit establishments in both complexes, and getting between the two, especially southbound, was horrible, dealing with long light cycles and heavy traffic on Eagle. It was just a few years ago the county highway district extended Records Ave between the two, and it is so much easier now.

[1995hoo]

Years ago when Best Buy opened in my area, its parking lot adjoined the lot of the bowling alley next door.  The bowling alley put in barriers and erected a fence because the hoards of Best Buy customers coming to try this new thing overwhelmed their parking lot.

Surely we've all seen commercial lots with signs along the lines of "If you leave these premises while parked here, you will be towed." I've wondered a few times recently how that might work out with electric vehicle chargers. For example, there's a Tesla Supercharger in the parking lot at Springfield Mall near my neighborhood, and then the parking garage outside Macy's at the same mall has some non-Tesla EV chargers. Commuter parking is permitted at the mall, but only in a designated area that does not include either the Supercharger or the other EV chargers. I've sometimes wondered whether someone who parks to use the chargers and then leaves mall property (say, to walk across the street to the Dunkin' Donuts or Zpizza) is subject to being towed.

I would hope part of the leasing/installation contract is that no one will be towed for using those chargers, even if they walk away for short periods of time.

I agree, although I've read enough stories about problems with "predatory" towing companies that patrol mall parking and the like that I might still be nervous about it regardless of what the contract says.

[Roadgeekteen]

Yes. More connectivity is always good.

[Rothman]

Lots of dread was had over connecting the parking lots at NYSDOT's Main Office with adjacent properties and providing another entrance/exit.  It was all for the better...so far...

[jp the roadgeek]

Every now and then though, you'll find some that are connected to residential streets, and in some cases take them over completely. This creates situations where people going to a local Home Depot or something will drive down local streets there not supposed to be in, no matter how many signs you put up there telling them no commercial traffic except local delivery or under a certain weight or whatever.

I can think of a couple along US 6 in Bristol, CT.  Here, and here

[D-Dey65]

Every now and then though, you'll find some that are connected to residential streets, and in some cases take them over completely. This creates situations where people going to a local Home Depot or something will drive down local streets there not supposed to be in, no matter how many signs you put up there telling them no commercial traffic except local delivery or under a certain weight or whatever.

I can think of a couple along US 6 in Bristol, CT.  Here, and here

There are plenty on Long Island too. There's also one I know of in Brooksville, FL between a shopping center with a Publix as the anchor store, and another one that used to have a Sears.

A lot of times shopping center and shopping mall parking lots will integrate themselves into local streets or wipe them out. Believe it or not, Horseblock Road used to run northwest of NY 25 to Mark Tree Road in Centereach, but that section of the road was eliminated by a shopping center. Also Google Street View describes some county roads as running through parking lots of shopping centers in certain sections of Polk County, Florida.

[roadman65]

Where I used to live two shopping plazas were adjacent but not only connected, but a 4 foot fence prevented people from parking in one to use the other.

Because of this I had to enter the very busy OBT and stand in queue at two long traffic lights to grocery shop.