What are the minimum practical dimensions for garage footprints?*

The minimum dimensions for a garage footprint consist of two structural bays. Two 60 ft. parking modules (2 way, 90 degree parking) would result in a width of 123’. On the other hand, two one-way bays with angled parking would be slightly less wide. However, additional width would increase in increments of the parking module.



The minimum garage length consists of the ramp, plus the end turning bays at each end of the garages. For a garage with two-way traffic there must be 180 ft. of ramp, two end bays of 27 ft., and two spandrel widths of 1 ft. For improved efficiency, the garage with two way traffic with end bay parking must have 180 ft. of ram, two end bays of 45 ft., and two spandrel widths of one ft. However, minimum garage length can be reduced by having the ramp rise only half of a level, instead of a full one.

A single helix (two-way) arrangement should be limited to five or six levels because of the number of turns required to pass all parking spaces. However, for a double threaded helix (one-way), arrangements allow for a vehicle to circulate up and then back down without making a U-turn at the top. In this case, a crossover should be provided at ramp mid-points to allow vehicles to switch from upward to downward to shorten the distance needed to exit.