TRBAM: The Missing Link Between Urban Commercial Curb Use and Freight Trip Generation (Lectern Session 2088)

Lectern Session: Last Mile Challenges and the Importance of Curbside Management (Lectern Session 2088)

The last mile continues to be one of the most challenging parts for freight transportation. There is increasing pressure on companies to implement innovative solutions that align with the objectives of cities to alleviate congestion, decrease emissions, and provide more space for the citizens. In this session, speakers will present their findings about the demand for curbside space and how it relates to establishments’ need for freight, as well as about solutions (e.g., parcel lockers) with potential to improve the sustainability of urban freight transportation.

Presentation: The Missing Link Between Urban Commercial Curb Use and Freight Trip Generation (TRBAM-24-05154)

Cities increasingly use curb management strategies to better organize better commercial vehicle flows in urban cores. However, predicting demand for commercial vehicles parking at the curb is a challenge. One approach to estimate curb demand is Freight Trip Generation (FTG), which uses data from establishment surveys to quantify the number of freight trips generated. However, no previous research has compared FTG estimates with real-world, observed commercial curb use. While logically, urban commercial and residential establishments are responsible for generating curb use demand, several other variables affect curb use, including drivers’ curb use behaviors and existing curb regulations. The current study uses two data sources: a large dataset of more than 1.5 million curb parking events obtained from a network of curb proximity sensors deployed in a 10-block study area in Seattle, Washington; respective FTG estimates obtained from an establishment survey performed in the same study area. Regression models were then used to compare the estimated FTG per blockface/week with the observed commercial curb occupancies obtained from the sensor network. The results showed that, while FTG underestimated commercial curb use, explaining 24% of curb parking events on average, they significantly correlate with commercial curb occupancies. A regression model was derived to predict commercial curb use given existing curbspace allocation and estimated FTG.

Authors:

• Giacomo Dalla Chiara, University of Washington
• Thomas Maxner, University of Washington
• Nota Goulianou, University of Washington
• Anne Goodchild, University of Washington