COLUMBUS – Faced with an increasing volume of traffic dedicated to dropping off or picking people or parcels, the City of Columbus is trying out a new curbside management program to address the growing demand for space.
The Division of Parking Services is partnering with curbFlow, a mobility company that coordinates commercial activity and available curb space in real time for a 12-month pilot program beginning Nov. 18 at nine locations downtown and on N. High Street from the Short North to the OSU campus area where commercial loading and on-demand pickups and drop-offs often lead to dangerous double parking that blocks crosswalks, and traffic lanes used by cars, buses and bicycles.
“With increasing demand for curb space due to the growth in e-commerce, freight and on-demand deliveries and ride hailing, this pilot program with curbFlow brings an innovative data-driven approach to managing congestion. It will also make our streets safer and air cleaner for pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers,” public service director Jennifer Gallagher said.
The city will establish Loading Management Zones, for use by commercial and private vehicles employed by online pickup-and-delivery and ride-sharing services such as Uber and Amazon.
Drivers use an app to reserve and check in and out of the zones which will be monitored in real-time.