Statement: Advocates cheer DOT plans to end curb giveaway
Today the New York City Department of Transportation released their action plan for comprehensive, citywide management of curb space. The ten-point plan details concrete steps to better design and manage the curb lane, reflecting the increasingly wide range of needs in this space. The strategy mirrors many recommendations made in the Making New York Work for Everyone report and Open Plans’ own Curb the Chaos report, released in June 2023.
Statement from Sara Lind, Co-Executive Director at Open Plans:
“In our extensive conversations with cities across the country, everyone agreed – comprehensive curb management is the key to unlocking a city’s potential. We are glad to see DOT commit to unlocking New York City’s. The results will be transformative for pedestrians, cyclists, bus riders, businesses, freight deliverers, and many more New Yorkers – if, and only if, local leaders support the work in every neighborhood. Council Members and other officials must not stand in the way of progress in deference to outdated car culture. We’ll need all eyes looking ahead to a versatile, efficient, productive future.
“Judging by the high demand for New York’s curbs, we know this space is incredibly valuable. Everyone wants a piece of the curb, but only private drivers are given widespread, free access. This action plan from DOT will begin to square that value, and the needs of the rest of the city, with reality.
“We are especially excited to see DOT commit to innovative treatments in this action plan that move beyond the progress they have already made, including:
Using automated enforcement of curb uses. Without enforcement, various curb designations do not function to their potential, or worse, revert back to de facto parking spots. Automated enforcement ensures that new curb rules are respected .
Modernizing parking payment. Cutting-edge technologies and demand-responsive pricing reduce friction at the curb, increase turnover (which benefits both drivers and local businesses), and allow cities to properly price their curb.
Creating low-emissions zones. Incentivizing or requiring local deliveries to be made by low- or no-emission vehicles will help us meet our climate goals and showcase New York City as a leader in harnessing the curb to help the climate.
Designing a curb hierarchy. Curb hierarchies have been used by leaders in curb management for years to help comprehensively plan their city’s curbs. This is a great step forward, and emphasis is rightly placed on making use of local, neighborhood-based planning. However, a curb hierarchy should also be accompanied by a formal, citywide curb management strategy in the vein of San Francisco’s plan.
Introducing new freight solutions and more loading zones. E-commerce and the attendant freight implications are not going away, and planning to proactively solve the challenges they pose helps everyone — pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers.”