Curbside Management Strategy

Redefining Edmonton’s curbside and public parking space.

Purpose

Curbsides—the space between the sidewalk and the regular traffic lane—are an important part of the way we move and gather in Edmonton. They are also one of our biggest public spaces. This makes curbside space an important asset—one that The City Plan calls on us to strategically manage.

The Curbside Management Strategy sets a path to using our curbsides more equitably and strategically to benefit more Edmontonians.

Across North America, the way cities use their curbside space is changing. Traditionally used solely for parking, curbsides are transforming into valuable space for people and for business, through use by transit, food trucks, temporary patios, EV charging, events, loading and delivery zones, active transportation or transit lanes, and more.

Thoughtfully managing these spaces is key for managing these opportunities and helping achieve many Edmontonians’ City Plan targets, such as net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, 50% of trips made by transit or active transportation and less than 35% of average household expenditures spent on housing and transportation.

Background Research

The Curbside Management Strategy was created using the following public input and research:

Public feedback shared about parking, mobility and transportation needs and other related city-building topics from The City Plan, Open Option Parking and other City-led engagement

Policies related to curbsides, public parking, and mobility within Connect Edmonton, The City Plan and their associated implementation strategies

Edmonton’s current curbside parking programs, tools and tactics, including Residential Parking Programs, time-restricted parking and paid parking

Parking practices and parking management tools used in other similar North American cities.

Overlapping Themes

Four themes emerged that were common across each area of background research. These important overlapping themes provide the foundation for each of the actions identified in the Curbside Management Strategy.

Strategically manage public infrastructure to ensure it is being used efficiently and effectively to achieve the city-building outcomes outlined in The City Plan

Develop a connected mobility system that supports various modes of transportation, with a focus on transit and active transportation infrastructure

Ensure the mobility system is accessible, safe, efficient, and barrier-free for Edmontonians

Encourage modal shift by providing opportunities for transit or active transportation

Curbside Management Strategy Actions

The Curbside Management Strategy contains 7 actions that bridge Edmontonians' vision in The City Plan with the operational changes needed to modernize Edmonton’s curbside space and public parking as a strategic public asset.

Actions 1, 2 and 3 will be addressed first. Opportunities for public participation and engagement on specific actions will be assessed as part of the development of the implementation plans for each action.

Next Steps

Following review and feedback by the Urban Planning Committee on August 23, 2022, the City will now create implementation plans for each of the strategy’s 7 actions.

Implementation will be gradual, with actions taking about 5 to 7 years to complete.
Opportunities for public participation and engagement on each specific action will be assessed as part of the forthcoming implementation plans.

Public Engagement

An extensive review of previously-published public engagement reports containing feedback about parking preferences, priorities and their associated trade-offs, on-street parking, mobility needs and other relevant city-building considerations helped to inform the actions in the Curbside Management Strategy.

This approach aligns with the City’s direction to use The City Plan as a guiding document, use previous engagement data to inform decision-making, and be more efficient in our operations.

Opportunities for public participation and engagement on specific actions will be assessed as part of the forthcoming implementation plan.

Purpose

Background Research

Overlapping Themes