/ MOBILITY & TECH
Demystifying Curb Management Leveraging Tools to Meet Your Operational and Policy Goals By Erik Nelson and Kevin White, CAPP, AICP
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URB MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES and technologies (cameras, sensors, mobile applications, cloud
services) have been a hot topic in the parking and mobility industry for several years now. The emergence of transportation network companies and shared micromobility, coupled with the continued growth of commercial deliveries, has increased congestion in a location previously occupied solely by parked vehicles and an occasional bus stop. A consensus of professionals might agree that curb lane management is balancing many competing uses for limited curb space in a way that is equitable and at the very least, revenue neutral. Between parking, transit, micro-transit, passenger pick-up/drop-off, dining, parklets, and art installations among other things, that can be a tall order. The coronavirus pandemic has further increased the demand for curb space via outdoor dining, parklets, and food delivery. Cities have been examining new ways to think about and manage curb space, and vendors have jumped into the space with both new and re-purposed technologies to help with curb use data collection, monitoring, enforcement, and monetization. Many cities have deployed technology, are conducting pilot projects, modifying policy, and being more deliberate about managing curb space for these various users, particularly in highly congested urban areas. A scan of the technology marketplace unearths an almost dizzying array of new technologies and vendors. Beyond IPMI, curb management is a hot topic among a myriad other related planning, transportation, and smart cities organizations and disciplines. What does it mean for you and your streets and on-street parking and mobility operations? Following the curb management topic and discussion over the past several years and it’s easy to see that much of the discourse about strategies and technologies has centered on highly congested urban areas of cities like New York, Seattle, and San Francisco. Driven
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by a strong need to manage scarce curb space, these cities have undoubtedly paved the way with new technologies, policies, and techniques. In many cases, however, these cities are unique and truly unlike the vast majority of mid to large cities across the United States.
Curb Management in Your Community The truth is, if you have curb space in your community and allow parking, loading, or outdoor dining, you are managing your curb. You may have a program that allows for the installation of a loading zone or a valet zone. You may permit food trucks to park on your streets. You may or may not have time restrictions or paid parking. All the policies, technologies, and practices you employ to manage that space have likely evolved over the years, perhaps in an ad hoc manner as your community has evolved with new development, new uses, and new demands. No matter how you manage your curb space, you may be following the curb management discourse and hearing about the new fancy technology and wondering, “how does this apply to me and my operation?” Intentionally or not,
PARKING & MOBILITY / APRIL 2022 / PARKING-MOBILITY.ORG
the discourse and new technologies (i.e., focused on cameras, sensors, commercial loading, and monetization in highly congested urban areas) that have emerged in the curb management space over the past handful of years have really focused on solutions for the significant urban centers of this country, and not on the vast majority of small to medium-size municipal operations in the United States. These operations may not have a paid parking program or a highly congested curb, yet still have a need to manage this space effectively. They are still taking part in curb management. Regardless of the sophistication level of your curb space management, and regardless of whether your curb space is highly congested and not significantly busy, there is value in understanding the curb management landscape and how to leverage tools and technologies to advance your system’s goals. Think about where you are on the spectrum of curb management, and where you want your curb management journey to take your community. Who are the users trying to access your curb, and what programs, policies, and technologies do you need to enable their access and the enhance the vibrancy, equity, and quality of life of your community?
