Progressive:
Moving from Parking
to Curbside Management
Curb Hierarchy /modal prioritization
A curb space hierarchy entails establishing default and street specific modal priorities for managing curb space. Fairly allocating space to the competing demands requires (1) an entity-wide default modal priority and (2) a process for prioritizing curb space at specific sites and as part of project planning and daily operations. The site / project level prioritization should reflect the street’s modal priority (curb running bike or transit lanes, commercial loading demands, etc.), tenant needs, and curb users’ docking / parking desires.
World class programs’ curb spaces function as part of the Complete Streets network, reflecting the modal priority of the streets and tenant desires, as well as ensuring equitable access for all users. The program changes its modal priorities based upon real time use and context, balancing commercial loading needs, traditional parking, curb running travel (transit, bike, peak period general purpose) lanes, and shared mobility modes.
Curb space has value - the industry has monetized it for decades to manage parking demand and generate revenue for street owners. With new competing demands, this space has dramatically risen in value over the past five - ten years. In parallel, technology has advanced, providing tools to curb space owners to manage and enforce compliance in this space in real-time. Curb space owners can now prioritize curb space with regulatory measures or pricing strategies, using variable pricing to implement mode and parking prioritization strategies.
World class programs develop and apply pricing strategies to regulate curb space access, with strategies reflecting the entity’s values and priorities. The strategies vary by time of day using real time demand data by location, and mode to align with their values and priorities.
Pricing Prioritization
Sustainability
As entities move from traditional parking authorities to progressive curbside management programs the practices should align with broader goals of urban sustainability. This goal ties directly to the critical curbside management element Measuring Success.
World Class entities possess a jurisdiction-wide sustainability plan and connect the modal and pricing prioritization hierarchy to the plan.
Equity /
Community Enhancement
It is vital that all entities embrace the importance of reassessing their transportation system to prioritize service to disadvantaged communities. Our industry has crafted several examples of policies to address equity in transportation service. Now we must transition from policy to effective implementation. The equity portion of our website provides examples of progress in this area here.
As entities move towards implementing equity initiatives, ensuring access for users of all abilities must be integrated into managing curb space. With consistently evolving competing demands of the curb space, progressive pricing strategies and prioritization techniques must be viewed with an “equity lens.” Disadvantaged community members rely greatly on non-automobile modes of transport to essential services, emphasizing the need for priority access.
World class curbside management programs possess policies and implementation steps to prioritize curb space access for disadvantaged communities. The programs also balance access for users of all abilities with progressive pricing strategies to manage competing demands.
Complementing the critical need for an organizational structure that integrates planning, design, operations, and maintenance of curb space, this element addresses the policies and procedures associated with reviewing land development applications, project planning, and urban street safety studies. In these important evaluations, current best practice guidance does not include direction for a curbside analysis. The detailed allocation of curb space routinely is inherited later by the parking authority or curbside management program.
World class entities, at a minimum, include curb space staff as part of the land development application review and project planning teams, as well as have established a curbside management safety assessment process to evaluate the safety of curbside operations. Example safety assessment components include (1) code compliance with buffers abutting intersections, access points, and fire hydrants; (2) evaluation of curb space activities to minimize conflicting movements and eliminate site distance obstacles; and (3) evaluation of curb space realm design to ensure accommodation of direct access by emergency vehicles.
interdepartmental applications
As entities mature from traditional parking programs to progressive curbside management programs, few entities are equipped to move forward without resource support. The evolution for each of these 20+ elements requires desire, funding, leadership support, and manpower. Recognizing this need and supplementing entity resources is a sign of a progressive program.
World class entities have planned procurement of resources based on the capabilities and limitations of the entity. The resources assist the entity in creating and sustaining a progressive curbside management system.