How to plan winter access for a commercial parking lot
Map the routes staff, customers, and delivery drivers use, then decide what needs to be cleared first and where plowed snow can go.
At opening time, a plowed row of stalls helps only if customers can get from the street to the door. A simple lot map lets you show your snow removal contractor where people drive, where they walk, and what needs to stay open during a storm.
Follow the routes people actually take
Start at the street and trace how a customer arrives by car, how an employee walks in before opening, and how a truck pulls in for a delivery. Mark the entrance, main drive aisle, accessible stalls and their access aisles, the route to the door, and the loading area. Include the curbs, ramps, and changes in level that can be hard to see under snow. The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety recommends marking changes in elevation and keeping pedestrian areas well lit. CCOHS parking lot fall prevention
Number the areas that should be cleared first. If your early delivery driver uses a different gate from customers, put both on the map and note when each needs to be open. If some stalls stay occupied overnight, share when vehicles can be moved and agree on how those stalls will be cleared later. For each walking route, confirm who clears it and who checks it for ice during business hours.
Choose snow storage with sightlines and drainage in mind
Mark a preferred pile location and a second spot for heavy snow. Keep piles away from entrance sightlines, walking routes, accessible spaces, and drains. Think through where water from each pile will flow as it melts. A pile along the back of a lot may seem out of the way until meltwater crosses the route staff use to reach the door and refreezes there. CCOHS parking lot fall prevention, Environment and Climate Change Canada on snow disposal and drainage, Environment and Climate Change Canada on flash freezing
Assign someone to check the lot after clearing
Ask the opening shift to check the curb ramp, the pedestrian route to the door, the turn into the lot, and any slope where water collects. Check again after a thaw or another round of precipitation. CCOHS recommends marking icy spots and using warning signs or barriers where needed. Give staff a clear way to report the location so whoever handles follow-up can find it quickly. CCOHS parking lot fall prevention, WorkSafeBC guidance on winter hazards
When you’re ready, send your map, opening hours, and delivery windows. See PSP Maintenance’s winter parking lot service and request a quote for the stalls and vehicle routes your lot depends on.