Streets & Curbside Management

Outcome Based Policy Approach: Even in a quickly evolving world of emerging technologies and new mobility options, cities can lean on traditional policy approaches to create the solutions that best suit their needs. By explicitly stating goals and desired outcomes for new technologies and services, incentives and penalties for helping achieving these goals can be set regardless of the type of technology being ushered in.

Gathering Existing Conditions: A challenge that many cities face in creating curbside management policies is a lack of information about the current conditions of their curb space allocation and access. Mapping and auditing current curb space locations, assignments, fees, and policies and compiling this information in a centralized place is essential for crafting effective curbside management policies.

Understand Current Use: By collecting data on the types and amounts of curbside uses currently existing, cities will be better positioned to allocate and price curb access for passenger pick up and drop off, micromobility storage and charging, transit boarding, deliveries, and other new and current uses. 

Prioritizing Modes: Establishing which modes receive priority access to streets and curbs is another tool to help achieve transportation goals. Priority access can be allocated by time, space, or both in order to encourage the types of mode usage that each city wishes to bolster. Policies for mode prioritization should clarify which modes will receive priority, where, and when, as well as implementation tools, including fees or taxes.

Space Allocation Policy: Designating travel lanes by mode can help organize space, improve traffic flow, and support mode prioritization. Street space can be assigned to travel by transit, bikes, micromobility devices, pedestrians, microtransit, TNCs, freight, and drones in order to separate modes of differing speeds and passenger-moving efficiency. Curb space can be designated for the parking and charging of bikes and other micromobility devices, whether on the street or on the sidewalk, as well as pick up and drop off areas for other modes. On-street parking can be reduced to help accommodate these other uses, with remaining parking spots allocated in specific locations and amounts to meet local needs.

Policy Tools and Implementation Approaches: The following list includes examples of tools and approaches that can be used for street and curbside management. Individual cities should consider their needs, goals, and unique context when choosing the tools that will best suit them.

• Operations Limitations 
• Vehicle caps
• VMT/RUC Fees 
• Empty Vehicle Fee
• Empty Seat Fee 
• Emissions Cap 
• Pick-up/Drop-off fees 
• Parking/Charging Fees  
• Coverage Requirements  
• Complaint/assistance guidelines