Curbs Have the Power to Transform Cities

Curb design and management play a huge role in other aspects of city life. Put simply, what happens on the curbside directly impacts what happens on the street, both in terms of social and business connectivity.

1 minute read

February 7, 2018, 8:00 AM PST

By Todd Litman


If you’re looking for a place to innovate, curbsides should be up your alley (so to speak). Transportation design guidelines speak to the design and outfitting of curbs, but there is tremendous variability of curbside design between cities. New York isn’t Chicago, Chicago isn’t Los Angeles and Los Angeles definitely isn’t Paris or Mexico City.

The design of curbsides – and determining their purpose – actually plays a huge role in other aspects of city life. Perhaps the most tangible of these impacts is how parking availability – or the lack thereof – in turn influences traffic patterns and congestion.

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