Curbside Management to Tame Roadway Chaos

"Columbus, OH introduced a new curbside management pilot program in partnership with mobility company curbFlow in a bid to address demand for deliveries and ride-hailing pick-ups and drop-offs," reports Chris Teale. The program will start next week and last for 12 months at nine locations in downtown Columbus and along a commercial corridor.

"Under the partnership, clearly marked Loading Management Zones (LMZs) will be added for use by commercial vehicles and private vehicles doing commercial work, like being used for ride-hailing. Drivers will use an app to reserve and check in and out of an LMZ," says Teale.

The goal of curbside management is to address issues such as double parking and blocked bike lanes and crosswalks. Other cities have also partnered with businesses to tackle the problem, notes Teale. "In Uber's collaboration with Cincinnati, for instance, it commissioned a curbside study and made a series of recommendations, including freeing up space by removing on-street parking and replacing it with a passenger pick-up and drop-off area, better enforcing loading zones and improving wayfinding and traffic control for motorists."