Over the past decade, cities have launched dozens of curb pilots.
Smart loading zones. Sensor deployments. Digital dashboards.
Many deliver promising results.
Few scale.
The Pilot Problem
Pilots are designed to test ideas, but they often become permanent without ever evolving into citywide programs. Why? Because they focus on the wrong things.
Most pilots deliver:
- Visibility
- Insights
- Technology demonstrations
But they rarely change how the curb is operated at scale. The challenge isn’t simply collecting more curb data. It’s connecting what is happening at the curb to the policies and operational decisions that shape it. That’s where a network-level approach to curb analytics becomes critical.
Why Pilots Stall
- Data isn’t connected to policy: Cities generate insights—but those insights don’t translate into actionable rules. For example:
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- Identifying congestion doesn’t automatically lead to pricing changes
- Observing demand doesn’t mean zones are reallocated
Seeing low turnover doesn’t immediately change time limits or enforcement priorities.
The gap is between knowing what’s happening and deciding what to do next.
INRIX Curb Analytics helps cities close that gap by providing curb activity and occupancy insights that can be evaluated alongside existing curb rules. Instead of treating data as a standalone dashboard, cities can use analytics to identify where policy may no longer align with real-world curb demand.
- Solutions don’t scale: Hardware-heavy pilots work well in small areas—but:
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- They are expensive to expand
- They don’t cover the full network
And decision-makers can be left with detailed visibility in pilot areas but significant blind spots across the rest of the curb network.
A scalable curb program needs a broader view. Curb Analytics is designed to help cities analyze curb conditions across a wider network, reducing dependence on block-by-block infrastructure deployments and helping agencies identify high-impact locations for deeper intervention.
The goal isn’t to instrument every curb space. It’s to understand the network well enough to know where action will have the greatest impact.
- Outcomes aren’t measured clearly: Pilots often lack metrics tied to:
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- Revenue
- Compliance
- Turnover
- Safety
Without those metrics, it’s hard to justify expansion. Pilots may demonstrate that technology works. That’s not always the same as demonstrating that a program works. Curb Analytics can give cities a way to establish baselines, identify areas of imbalance, and evaluate how conditions change as policies and operations evolve. That creates a clearer path from pilot results to program justification.
What Successful Cities Do Differently
Cities that succeed treat the curb as a system, not a project. That system connects:
- Occupancy insights
- Curb policies
- Operational decisions
- Measured outcomes
Curb Analytics supports this approach by giving cities a broader understanding of how curb space is actually being used.
- Where is demand consistently exceeding available supply?
- Where are existing rules misaligned with observed activity?
- Which locations should be prioritized for pricing, loading, time-limit, or enforcement reviews?
In cities like Portland, where curb activity and delivery demand intersect, the focus has shifted toward integrating rules and real-world behavior—allowing for more dynamic management of curb space.
The value comes from moving beyond a snapshot of the curb and building a repeatable decision-making process.
From Pilot to Program
Scaling requires a fundamental shift:
From zones → to networks
You need visibility across the entire city—not just pilot areas.
Curb demand doesn’t stop at the pilot boundary.
INRIX Curb Analytics helps provide a broader network perspective, allowing cities to identify patterns and prioritize locations based on actual curb conditions.
From dashboards → to decisions
Insights must lead directly to:
- Pricing updates
- Zone changes
- Enforcement strategies
- Loading strategies
- Time-limit reviews
By connecting curb analytics with policy and operational workflows, cities can move from simply observing curb activity to actively managing it.
From static → to continuous
Curb management becomes an ongoing process—not a one-time intervention. Delivery patterns evolve. Businesses open and close. Travel behavior shifts. New developments change neighborhood activity. A curb policy that worked three years ago may no longer match today’s demand. Curb Analytics can help cities continuously evaluate conditions, identify emerging imbalances, and prioritize where policies may need to be reviewed.
Measure. Decide. Adjust. Repeat.
That’s how a pilot becomes a program.
Real Benefits of Scaling
Cities that scale gain:
- Revenue improvements: Pricing aligns with demand across the network. Analytics can help cities identify areas where existing pricing and policies may be underperforming.
- Better compliance: Enforcement becomes targeted and efficient. Curb analytics can help agencies focus operational and enforcement resources on locations where curb behavior and regulations are most misaligned.
- Reduced congestion: Drivers spend less time searching for parking. Commercial vehicles can also access loading areas more efficiently when curb space is better aligned with demand.
- Operational efficiency: City staff make faster, data-driven decisions. Teams can prioritize locations with the greatest need instead of relying solely on complaints, periodic studies, or isolated field observations.
What This Means for Your Residents
This isn’t just about operations.
It’s about outcomes for the community:
- Easier access to parking
- Better delivery reliability
- Safer streets
- Less congestion
And when cities have a clearer understanding of curb activity, they can make changes based on observed conditions rather than assumptions.
How to Get Immediate Value
Cities don’t need to wait for a full rollout to start benefiting.
- Start with high-impact zones – Focus on areas with the greatest imbalance between supply and demand. Use INRIX Curb Analytics to identify and prioritize the locations where intervention is most likely to produce measurable results.
- Connect data and rules – Ensure insights lead to actionable changes. Compare observed curb activity with current policies to determine whether pricing, zone allocation, time limits, or operational strategies should be reviewed.
- Measure outcomes – Track improvements in turnover, compliance, revenue, occupancy, and congestion.
- Establish a baseline – Demonstrate impact not simply technology deployment.
- Expand strategically – Scale what works and continuously refine.
The Bottom Line
The problem isn’t that cities lack ideas. It’s that pilots alone don’t change systems.
Cities that succeed move beyond experimentation and build connected, scalable curb programs. That means creating a continuous process where data informs policy, policy drives action, and outcomes are measured. Curb Analytics can help cities make that transition by providing network-level insights to understand curb activity, identify high-impact opportunities, and support more informed operational decisions.
Learn more about how INRIX can help with Curb Analytics.