United States - European Commission Urban Freight Twinning Initiative: Compendium of Project Summaries, Volume II
Overview of 2018-2019 International Urban Freight Roundtables

Research

Metro Plans

Policy

United States

Curb Space Truck Occupancy Study

The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) engaged the Urban Freight Lab (UFL) at the University of Washington to document truck load/unload activities at select streets in its urban centers. This study is investigating how trucks operate in the Final 50 feet of the delivery system, and includes trucks’ use of all load zones: Commercial Vehicle Load Zones (CVLZs), 3-minute passenger load zones, and stopping next to fire hydrants and in center lanes to unload goods. Due to Seattle’s recently-enacted privacy ordinance, the observations were taken in person, not by video.

Project Types

Research, Metropolitan Plans, Research.

Period of Performance

April 2017 - August 2018.

Project Site

Seattle, Washington, USA.

Contact

Barb Ivanov
Director, Urban Freight Lab
SCTL Center, University of Washington
Seattle, WA, USA
IvanovB@uw.edu

Topics Addressed

• Building/road design.
• Curbside delivery and parking.
• Land use interactions.
• Last mile delivery.
• Logistics/distribution.
• Mobility/congestion.

Key Outcomes

The findings may be used to help the SDOT develop data-based policies and strategies to:

• Retain curb CVLZs in select blocks;
• Develop new flex-use strategies for short-term (3-10 minute) passenger and/or truck use of curb space; and/or
• Develop mitigation strategies when reducing or removing CVLZs and other load/unload spaces in corridors.

Stakeholder Involvement

SDOT funded the work and defined the project’s parameters. UFL researchers developed and implemented the research plan. UFL industry members will provide their businesses’ strategic insight into the findings as well as context on how curb space use is changing in response to the growth of e-commerce.