Nine Ways to Use Curb Space That Aren’t Parking

What can you do with an extra 20 feet of curb space? Thanks to California’s new daylighting law, which prohibits parking within 20 feet of most crosswalks, gives cities an opportunity to figure that out.

With a little creativity, communities can activate this space, adding beauty or utility to our shared spaces while making it impossible for vehicles to occupy the daylighting zone.

In a piece for CalBike, Kendra Ramsey offers nine suggestions for how to fill daylight space, improving safety and transforming curb space into a “civic asset.” The suggestions include:

1. Bollards or posts: Bollards can be a simple, effective tool for keeping cars out.
2. Bike parking corral: On-street bike parking can save valuable sidewalk space while maintaining visibility.
3. Bike or scooter share dock: Intersections offer a convenient, highly visible spot for shared mobility. 
4. Benches: “Places to sit are crucial amenities, especially for older adults, people with mobility limitations, and, honestly, a lot of the rest of us at least some of the time. Adding benches to public spaces makes it possible for people to walk farther, knowing they’ll be able to rest when they need to.”
5. Public art: Painted asphalt has been shown to calm traffic and can make it clearer to drivers that they should not park there.

See the source article for the full list.