NYC DOT Launches ‘Smart Curbs’ Program to Better Utilize Curb Space for Community Needs on Upper West Side

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IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 28, 2024
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NYC DOT Launches 'Smart Curbs' Program to Better Utilize Curb Space for Community Needs on Upper West Side

Portion of Manhattan's Upper West Side To Become the First 'Smart Curbs' Neighborhood, a Key Piece of the City's Curb Management Action Plan To Modernize the City's Streets for 21st-Century Demands, With More Locations Soon To Follow

NYC DOT To Install Neighborhood Loading Zones, Bike Corrals, and a Street Seat Following Extensive Community Engagement

NEW YORK - NYC Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez today announced the agency has begun implementation of the 'Smart Curbs' program on the Upper West Side. The program, announced last year, will implement and evaluate new treatments and regulations to improve safety, reduce congestion, create vibrant and clean public spaces, support orderly local deliveries, and more.

"New York is on the cutting edge of rethinking the curb, one of cities' most valuable assets. Everyone wants a piece of our precious sidewalk and curb lane," said NYC Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. "With the Smart Curbs program, we are prioritizing uses based on community needs, not just first-come-first-serve. From extending the sidewalk for safety to strategically carving out spaces for diverse uses like organized loading and unloading, EV charging and more, we are making walking down the street a vibrant, rather than confusing, experience."

"Our 'Smart Curbs' program is taking a blank-slate approach to modernize how we utilize curb space and make our streets safer for everyone," said NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. "Many New Yorkers have provided input to develop this program, and this first phase reflect that feedback by utilizing more curb space for local deliveries, bike parking, and space for pedestrians."

Through robust public engagement and a data-driven approach, NYC DOT is exploring new curb uses in a more comprehensive, geographically focused way. Demand for curb space in New York City - from trash collection and bike lanes to truck loading and parking - is increasing and NYC DOT is responding to address these new demands. 'Smart Curbs' and the broader Curb Management Action Plan, released in September 2023, are efforts to address the dynamic community needs of today while better preparing the city's streets for the future. These efforts build on the core tenets of the 'New' New York panel's action plan, which identified public space as a key force for the city's economic recovery.

The first phase of implementation includes the removal of the Columbus Avenue rush hour regulation, which prohibited all parking on the west side of the avenue between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. The first phase also includes the installation of new truck and passenger vehicle loading zones, bike corrals, and an additional space for pedestrians. Implementation for the first phase is ongoing through the end of the year. On Columbus Avenue, existing metered spaces will be reserved for commercial vehicles during the day but will remain available for passenger parking in the evening. These meters will also allow for three hours of passenger parking instead of the current two.

Additional improvements like electric vehicle charging and local delivery hubs, known as microhubs, are planned for a second phase of the 'Smart Curb' program. During the second phase, NYC DOT will also partner with the Transit Tech Lab to test new curb activity sensors and pilot new bus passenger information screens. Implementation of the second phase will take place in 2025. Working in partnership with the Columbus Avenue Business Improvement District (Columbus Avenue BID) and local organizations, the 'Smart Curbs' program reflects a new, neighborhood-first approach to redesigning the city's curb space to meet the diverse needs of a modern city, including the majority of New Yorkers who do not own an automobile. Additional neighborhoods across New York City are being explored for future expansions of this program.

Map of Smart Curbs project area on Manhattan's Upper West Side

New curb treatments for the first phase of implementation include:

Street Seat

NYC DOT is working with the Columbus Avenue BID on a new Street Seat, public space with seating and planters, in the curb lane on the west side of Columbus Avenue between West 72nd and 73rd Streets, just north of West 72nd Street.

New Bike Parking Corrals

NYC DOT is installing 30 new bike racks, bringing 60 additional bike parking spaces, in the curb lane near to get bikes off sidewalks, improve visibility at intersections, and shorten pedestrian crossings.

The locations will be:

• Amsterdam Avenue between West 74th and 75th Streets, east side
• Amsterdam Avenue between West 80th and 81st Streets, west side
• West 83rd Street between Amsterdam Avenue and Columbus Avenue, north side
• Columbus Avenue between West 77th and 78th Streets, west side
• West 83rd Street between Amsterdam Avenue and Central Park West, south side

New Truck Loading Zones

Truck loading zones will be restricted to commercial vehicles actively loading and unloading during daytime hours. Passenger metered parking will be allowed in the evening, with free parking overnight.

The locations will be:

• Broadway between West 83rd and 84th Streets, east side
• Amsterdam Avenue between West 77th and 78th Streets, west side
• Amsterdam Avenue between West 76th and 77th Streets, east side
• Amsterdam Avenue between West 72nd and 73rd Streets, east side
• West 79th Street between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue, north side
• West 79th Street between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue, south side

New Neighborhood Loading Zones will be restricted to vehicles (passenger or commercial) actively loading and unloading, including taxi and car service pick-up and drop-off, during daytime hours. Free parking will be allowed evenings and overnight.

The locations will be:

• West 86th Street between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue, north side
• West 86th Street mid-block between Amsterdam Avenue and Columbus Avenue, south side
• West 85th Street between Amsterdam Avenue and Columbus Avenue, south side
• West 83rd Street between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue, south side
• West 83rd Street between Amsterdam Avenue and Columbus Avenue, south side
• West 82nd Street between Amsterdam Avenue and Columbus Avenue, north side
• West 81st Street between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue, south side
• West 81st Street mid-block between Columbus Avenue and Central Park West, north side
• West 80th Street between Amsterdam Avenue and Columbus Avenue, north side
• West 78th Street between Amsterdam Avenue and Columbus Avenue, north side
• West 76th Street between Amsterdam Avenue and Columbus Avenue, south side
• West 75th Street between Amsterdam Avenue and Columbus Avenue, north side
• West 75th Street mid-block between Columbus Avenue and Central Park West, north side
• West 74th Street between Amsterdam Avenue and Columbus Avenue, south side
• West 73rd Street between Amsterdam Avenue and Columbus Avenue, north side
• Central Park West between West 84th and 85th Streets, west side
• Central Park West between West 82nd and 83rd Streets, west side
• Central Park West between West 81st and 82nd Streets, west side
• Central Park West between West 75th and 76th Streets, west side
• Central Park West between West 74th and 75th Streets, west side
• Central Park West between West 72nd and 73rd Streets, west side

In September 2023, NYC DOT announced Smart Curbs as part of its Curb Management Action Plan. The action plan represents another step in the Adams administration's efforts to reimagine the use of public space, supporting the goals laid out by the "New" New York Panel's 'Making New York Work for Everyone' action plan and Mayor Adams' 'PlanNYC: Getting Sustainability Done.' In December 2023, the agency began extensive community outreach. In less than one year, the agency is now delivering on this critical work.

'Smart Curbs' is being implemented on the Upper West Side, bounded by West 86th Street to the north, Central Park West to the east, West 72nd Street to the south, and Broadway to the west. The Upper West Side is one of the densest residential neighborhoods in the United States and has several major commercial streets. This high density, coupled with a significant increase in demand for different curb uses, make it an ideal location to apply the Smart Curbs comprehensive curb planning approach. The Upper West Side also has one of the lowest vehicle ownership rates in the United States, with approximately 73 percent of households not owning a car; the neighborhood's limited curb space must accommodate a diverse range of needs, beyond just private vehicle storage.

"Thanks to the Department of Transportation and advocates' strategic vision, the people of New York City will enjoy safer streets, increased access to their neighborhoods, and efficient use of our shared streets," said Assemblymember Daniel O'Donnell. "These efforts are vital in fostering connections among us and nurturing a healthier environment for everyone."

"As a proud community partner, the Columbus Avenue BID congratulates NYC DOT on the launch of the first phase of implementation of the Smart Curbs project on the Upper West Side," said Nicole Paynter, executive director of the Columbus Avenue BID. "The implementation of Smart Curbs will improve accessibility, support local businesses, and create a safer, more vibrant neighborhood. As part of this project, the BID is also thrilled to introduce a new 'Street Seat,' a welcoming public space where residents and visitors can relax and enjoy our district."

"With the launch of Smart Curbs on the Upper West Side, our community is taking an exciting step toward more efficient and responsive curbside management," said Max Vandervliet, district manager of Manhattan's Community Board Seven. "This initiative addresses longstanding challenges around curb space availability and is a commitment to sustainable, equitable curb use that can enhance pedestrian safety and support the diverse needs of residents, businesses and visitors alike with safer, more dynamic streetscapes."

"We're glad to see that NYC DOT is launching the 'Smart Curbs' effort it promised last year, and we're looking forward to how the program's innovations will improve curb management and access, help reduce double-parking and congestion, and improve loading and unloading," said Eric McClure, executive director of StreetsPAC. "And we're especially excited to learn that the second phase of the program in 2025 will deploy curb-activity sensors, which we hope will lead to a future in which dynamic pricing of the curb will be the norm in New York City."

"Space may seem scarce in New York City, but there's miles of untapped potential at our curbs. It's exciting to see DOT start tapping into that potential right here on the Upper West Side," said Carl Mahaney, director of Open Plans' Streetopia Upper West Side. "A few simple adjustments will have a profound effect: bike lanes and bus lanes can help ease commuting headaches; loading zones can support businesses and calm hectic streets; hardened daylighting can make intersections safer to cross; public seating can help create a neighborhood that feels like home. However you interact with the curb, Smart Curbs will improve Upper West Siders' experience on the street and we look forward to supporting this visionary step toward a smarter, more livable future."

"Car parking is not the best use for our valuable curb space, and we're glad to see Commissioner Rodriguez announce the implementation of 'Smart Curbs' on the Upper West Side that transform private vehicle storage into high-quality public space, loading zones to reduce double parking and makes our streets safer, and new bike corrals to encourage bike ridership," said Emily Jacobi, manhattan organizer for Transportation Alternatives. "We look forward to working with DOT to ensure the first phase of this program is a success and that future phases of the program respond to the needs of New Yorkers."

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