Delivery Drivers Can Reserve Curb Space Ahead of Time in D.C.

An innovative pilot project is under way in Washington, D.C., which is pursuing radical steps to rethink the use of on-street curb spaces in an era of transformative transportation technology.

1 minute read

August 6, 2019, 5:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Delivery Services

Sundry Photography / Shutterstock

"Delivery drivers jockeying for parking on D.C. streets can now reserve curb space in advance — part of the city’s attempts to discourage double-parked vehicles that block traffic, bike lanes and crosswalks," reports Katherine Shaver.

The curbside pickup-dropoff program is part of the District's ongoing effort to leverage technology to make more efficient use of increasingly contested curb space.

Drivers can reserve curb space using the curbFlow website, explained in the video below.

curbFlow Intro from Kevan Moniri on Vimeo.

"Three to five parking spaces will be removed from each of the nine curbFlow locations during the pilot project," adds Shaver. "Street parking will be removed to make way for the loading zones."

Additional coverage of the curbFlow pilot program is available from Caitlin Rogger for Greater Greater Washington.

Friday, August 2, 2019 in The Washington Post

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

June 11, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Metrorail train pulling into newly opened subterranean station in Washington, D.C. with crowd on platform taking photos.

Congressman Proposes Bill to Rename DC Metro “Trump Train”

The Make Autorail Great Again Act would withhold federal funding to the system until the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), rebrands as the Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access (WMAGA).

June 2, 2025 - The Hill

Large crowd on street in San Francisco, California during Oktoberfest festival.

The Simple Legislative Tool Transforming Vacant Downtowns

In California, Michigan and Georgia, an easy win is bringing dollars — and delight — back to city centers.

June 2, 2025 - Robbie Silver

Bike lane in Washington D.C. protected by low concrete barriers.

DC Backpedals on Bike Lane Protection, Swaps Barriers for Paint

Citing aesthetic concerns, the city is removing the concrete barriers and flexposts that once separated Arizona Avenue cyclists from motor vehicles.

1 hour ago - The Washington Post

Bird's eye view of studio apartment design.

In These Cities, Most New Housing is Under 441 Square Feet

With loosened restrictions on “micro-housing,” tiny units now make up as much as 66% of newly constructed housing.

3 hours ago - Smart Cities Dive

Man in teal shirt opening door to white microtransit shuttle with cactus graphics and making inviting gesture toward the camera.

Albuquerque’s Microtransit: A Planner’s Answer to Food Access Gaps

New microtransit vans in Albuquerque aim to close food access gaps by linking low-income areas to grocery stores, cutting travel times by 30 percent and offering planners a scalable model for equity-focused transit.

June 13 - U.S. Department Of Transportation