NYC Mayor Eric Adams and Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez launched a new program in September to reimagine the city’s curb space. Deploying what they called “innovative tools and creative, forward-looking strategies,” they plan to make the city “cleaner, greener, and healthier.” The Curb Management Action Plan includes 10 steps to better design and manage the curb lane to reflect an increasingly wide range of needs, including:
“Smart Curbs” Pilot: Working with businesses and other community partners, DOT will select neighborhoods to reimagine curb space – by evaluating current regulations, identifying community needs, and testing new uses and technologies to improve accessibility, mitigate traffic and double the amount of parking spaces. Columbus Avenue in Manhattan will be the first “Smart Curbs” neighborhood, launching this fall. A data-driven approach will be used, along with public feedback.
Prioritizing Curb Uses to Meet Neighborhood Needs: Effective curb management requires prioritizing curb functions that reflect local context. DOT will develop and publish a curb management hierarchy to inform the public and aid planning decisions to help prioritize curb usage across the city.
Designate Additional Curb Space for Taxis, FHVs to Make Passenger Pickups and Drop-Offs Easier: The surge in for-hire vehicle (FHV) trips has created additional competition for curb space, often resulting in parking violations like improperly occupying taxi stands, double parking, and unsafe pickups and drop-offs. DOT plans to establish dedicated pickup/drop-off zones for FHVs in high-volume locations and will continue to work with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to expand loading zones for Access-A-Ride paratransit vehicles.
Make Home and Business Deliveries Safer, Sustainable, and More Efficient: In response to the massive growth of e-commerce, DOT is identifying ways to address freight-related safety, congestion, pollution, and quality-of-life concerns. Strategies include incentivizing off-hour deliveries, establishing dedicated loading zones, and creating microhubs where goods can be transferred from larger freight vehicles to smaller low- or no-emissions vehicles.
Pilot the East Coast’s First Low-Emission Zone: DOT will examine ways to require and/or incentivize the use of low- and zero-emission trucks through the creation of low-emission zones.
Expand Bike Parking to Improve Convenience: DOT plans to install thousands of new bike racks on sidewalks and bike corrals in the curb lane to provide higher-capacity parking.
Provide Space for Outdoor Dining, Waste Containerization, Street Furniture, and Other Public Realm Improvements: DOT will expand the use of the curb lane for sidewalk widenings, curb extensions, bus boarding platforms, plantings, public art, and the Street Seats program.
Test New Technologies for Remote and Flexible Curb Management and Enforcement: DOT will pilot and implement proven and emerging technologies for more efficient, data-driven, and user-friendly curb management. This includes adopting pay-by-plate parking meters and installing enforcement cameras to discourage double parking and blocking bus stops and bike lanes.
Price On-Street Parking to Encourage Commercial Activity: DOT will expand the use of parking meters and develop pricing mechanisms to support safety and sustainability. A demand-based pricing pilot will include technology that adjusts rates in real time based on demand and time of day. Fine structures will be updated for curb violations to make enforcement more effective.
Charge for Non-Transportation Users of Curb Space: DOT plans to develop a framework to charge more for street occupancy, starting by advocating for state legislation to authorize a wider ability to price curb occupancy. For example, the Dining Out NYC program will charge restaurants to use the roadway for fixed per-square-foot fees, based on geography.
