Cities Craving Data Insight as Curb Challenges Mount

U.S. cities are looking to improve their data insights as demands on curb space increase and improved curb management technologies enter the market, a Populus survey of city transportation officials found.

Following the rise of bike sharing, delivery, and ride services, over 80 percent of city officials say that they have faced rising pressure from increased demands on curbs, while 85 percent of respondents say that managing delivery vehicles is a “major challenge.” To address these roadblocks, cities are looking to data to inform their solutions – but also finding they often lack access to the right information.

“Over half the respondents reported a lack of reliable data to inform decision-making on curb usage and parking demand,” the survey reads. “The inability to track real-time usage of curb space, especially for short-term commercial deliveries, is a significant obstacle.”

Recent trends have shown cities regularly using parking meters, cameras, and sensors to acquire data. But 61 percent of respondents said their cities’ current data is inaccessible because it is stored in fragmented systems or otherwise invisible.

Only 29 percent of respondents said they were satisfied with their data analytics, with many cities working to close the gap in data access.

Another top concern for cities includes equitable access to public spaces under current curb regulations.

“Multiple cities raised concerns about how current curb regulations may inadvertently limit access to public spaces for underserved communities. Nearly 20 [percent] of cities cited equity as a priority issue for future curb management plans,” said Populus.

Technology may help address curb management, although many cities are still in the early stages of technology adoption, the survey found. Seventy percent of cities have started to digitize curb management using inventory and mapping systems, and 30 percent have moved toward mobile-based payment systems and replacing parking meter hardware.

However, only 26 percent of cities expressed confidence in their complete inventory of curb regulations, with the survey noting that “cities like Boulder [Colo.] know that maintenance and data updates remain a challenge.”

Possible solutions include investing in data-driven tools such as data aggregation systems to monitor and dynamically manage curb spaces, and piloting programs with clear objectives to successfully scale pilots into formalized programs.

“Cities must modernize their regulations to accommodate emerging pricing schemes and curb use policies, while also addressing enforcement gaps,” the survey also noted.