Curb-Parking Problems: Overview

The curb-parking problem has been longstanding and pervasive. Since the advent of the motor vehicle, there has been much discussion on where parking should be provided, and whether it should be parallel or angle. Transportation engineers have long believed that curb parking generally should be eliminated along arterials during peak traffic, and that angle parking should be provided only on local streets. However, within the past 25 years, some urban and transport planners have indicated that curb parking may be desirable as part of the new urbanism, and that angle parking may be appropriate as a means of calming traffic. This paper presents the traditional transportation engineering perspective, synthesizes the various operational and safety studies, and documents key findings and conclusions.