Michał Gal is a talented and highly promising civil engineer from MT Projekt, who shared with us an innovative parking lot design project created with the PLATEIA software. In addition to designing infrastructure projects, Michał is responsible for introducing new software solutions to the company; from testing functionalities and purchasing the software, to training employees to use new products.
In 2015, when the company was faced with a pressing need for a faster road design software solution due to the high volume of projects, Michał started using CGS Labs software solutions. It was then that Aplikom, now Arkance System Poland, our Polish partner, introduced them to PLATEIA. This software has fulfilled their wishes and they are still using it today.
Today, they are implementing around forty concurrent projects, such as the construction of local and regional roads, intersections, roundabouts, parking lots, pedestrian corridors, and more. The most recent of these is a “Park & Ride” parking lot, the main goal of which was the construction of over two hundred parking spaces, complete with charging stations for electric vehicles and bicycle parking. Additionally, this project included drainage arrangements, plans of public infrastructure, and lighting plans.
Project name: The construction of a “Park & Ride” parking lot
Location: Warszawa, Poland
Design team: MT-Projekt Sp. z o.o., design office for the preparation of project documentation in the field of transport engineering, especially roadway infrastructure.
The goal: The main goal of the project was the construction of more than 200 parking spaces, including charging stations for electric vehicles and bicycle parking.
Software solution used: Plateia, Autopath
Cost: 4 million euros
The “Park and Ride“ system is a combination of public and private transportation that allows users to reach important points on the outskirts of the city or the main city entrances by personal vehicle and then continue their journey into the city center via public transportation. This system has many advantages, such as increasing the usage of public transportation and reducing traffic in the city center, which can lead to a variety of issues like traffic congestion, environmental pollution, and a lack of parking spaces. Moreover, it can save people money since parking spaces in the city center can be expensive.
Three main engineering challenges were encountered during this project. The first challenge was how to place such a large number of parking spaces in a relatively small area. They solved this by trying to draw up several possibilities and using the CGS Labs software AUTOPATH to analyse swept paths to ascertain whether the vehicle can pull into the parking space.
Another challenge was how to ensure a certain percentage of green areas had to be considered when planning the parking lot. Parking lots with grass and trees not only look better and feel better, but are also a more environmentally friendly solution. Urban trees can sequester carbon, provide shade, and mitigate flooding.
The third challenge they faced was draining the water from the parking lot. In Poland, the terrain is usually very flat, meaning the height differences are very small, making drainage design difficult. The PLATEIA software helped them a lot in this, as it enabled them to create very accurate digital terrain models. To do this, they used drones to record the existing terrain and create point clouds. Then, based on this data, they created a terrain model which helped them to construct a horizontal alignment and vertical profile and determine how the water will drain and collect.
In addition to tools for creating digital terrain models, horizontal alignments, and vertical profiles, Michał also highlighted all the features that help them automate the process. They work on many similar projects, so they find the MACRO feature particularly useful. This feature automates the creation and editing of cross–sections, significantly speeding up their design process. It also allows them to create a library of typical cross–sections, according to their country‘s planning guidelines, and use them in any of their projects. They are very pleased with the possibility of sharing the library with their team members. Read more about the Macro command here >>>
Furthermore, Michał expressed his admiration for the drawing functionality and design of the program itself. He emphasizes the well–designed tabs and their user–friendliness:
“The user immediately knows where to look for a command!”
MT Projekt company has experienced significant growth in recent years, and Michał Gal notes that he can easily transfer the knowledge of using PLATEIA to the employees in a short amount of time. He perceives the greatest advantage in the fact that PLATEIA is easy to use, saving him and his team a considerable amount of time. Moreover, it works with AutoCAD, AutoCAD Civil 3D and BricsCAD platforms, making it all the more convenient.
According to Michał, designing with PLATEIA can also save a great deal of time in site supervision owing to the “exact“ connection between the drawing and the actual situation on the construction site.
“If you have multiple projects at the same time, this means that you have to visit the terrain frequently. But if your project is created with PLATEIA, you open the drawing and everything is perfectly clear!”
About the company MT Projekt
MT Projekt was established in 2012 by Marcin Płużyński and Tomasz Korczak, two construction engineers who had decades of experience in the field of road and infrastructure engineering. They specialized in the design of roads, streets, parking lots, manoeuvre areas, and all necessary technical infrastructure such as sanitary and power networks, as well as other engineering facilities. Evidence of their expertise can be seen in the gallery below, where you can view their reference projects. At CGS Labs, we are proud to note that MT Projekt always uses our PLATEIA software for their work.
