You may have heard the news that DDOT was starting a curbside pickup-dropoff pilot program to help ease the burden of loading and unloading deliveries around town. Helped by a company called curbFlow, DDOT is launching that project today. Curbed reported on it when the announcement was first released.
How does this affect you? For starters, these zones will help ease congestion around these areas and assist deliveries by providing a zone where only these trucks and cars can park. This should cut back on double parking and other dangerous activities associated with having really large trucks stopping in the middle of the street. Ali Vahabzadeh, Founder and CEO of curbFlow’s quote in the DDOT press release sounds very encouraging: “The curb is an oft-forgotten but critical element of our city landscape… We’re excited to work with DDOT in using data-driven solutions to reduce double parking traffic, help make our streets safer and more sustainable, while making sure merchants get their goods delivered in a timely manner.”
Honestly, if there is anything that can help ease the fustercluck at 8th, D and Pennsylvania SE, I am all for it– which, incidentally, is one of the nine zones in this pilot project. curbFlow will help by reserving the curb space for deliveries in such a way that they don’t all happen at the same time, and they will be collecting data to learn more about the needs of each zone. Obviously, you may not park in these areas. Be aware and spread the word.
I look forward to seeing what curbFlow and DDOT will learn about all these intersections, below. (The ones in our area are in bold):
- 1200 block of 1st Street SE
- 1200 block of H Street NE
- 400 block of 8th Street SE
- 1100 block of 4th Street SW
- 300 block of Tingey Street SE
- 200 block of 3rd Street SE
- 700 block of Maine Ave. SW
- 1400 block of 20th St NW
- 1000 Block of Wisconsin Ave NW near M Street NW