The City of West Palm Beach and Related Companies, in partnership with Coord, a curb management company, have launched the city’s first-ever Smart Zone pilot program to better manage the city’s curbs.

This follows West Palm Beach’s selection by Coord as one of four U.S. cities to participate in the company’s inaugural Digital Curb Challenge to undertake a brand new curb management program. 

Smart Zones, powered by Coord’s technology, enable commercial drivers to use their mobile devices to locate nearby available loading zones and to hold, book, and pay for time in them. As a result, Smart Zones promote the economic vitality of commercial areas by making it easier for businesses to receive supplies and fulfill customer requests for deliveries, while improving the experience for people who visit the area, said the company in a release. While offering a more streamlined experience for drivers, they can improve mobility for everyone visiting the downtown neighborhood by reducing safety and congestion challenges, such as double-parking and blocked pedestrian access.

In the heart of West Palm Beach, the city will use the Smart Zones to streamline the downtown area’s commercial deliveries that serve the restaurants, retailers, cultural institutions, and other businesses. This pilot program builds upon West Palm Beach’s recent switch to flex zones, rather than metered parking, in Rosemary Square as part of efforts to modernize their curb management strategy and provide an enjoyable and safe public space for all users.

Coord’s Smart Zones will also provide the City of West Palm Beach with information that is essential in empowering the city to make data-driven operational changes. For example, program data can be used to understand when and where loading space is most needed and to help manage demand for it through pricing and time limits. Because Smart Zone availability, rules, and prices are digitally communicated to drivers, Coord’s platform allows a city to make rules adjustments for zones in response to policy changes, special events, or emergencies without the hassle and expense of modifying signage on the street.