Distinguished Research Professor of Urban Planning Donald Shoup commented in a Gothamist article on a plan to modernize and better utilize curb space in New York City’s Upper West Side. The “Smart Curbs” program, which is already being implemented, is designed to dramatically change parking rules in the Manhattan neighborhood, reducing double parking, increasing public seating and providing space for bike racks normally used for parking cars. The program is part of a larger effort to control traffic and increase safety, including designated curb space for delivery trucks and for-hire vehicles, according to transportation officials. However, Shoup, an expert on parking, described the plan as only a mild change and argued that the city should be more ambitious. “The curbs could be even smarter,” he said. “On every street there should be loading zones. They should be charged by the minute.” Shoup added, “It’s the most unsophisticated city on earth for curb parking.”
