Improving Parking and Curb Usage Through Tech Innovation

How artificial intelligence is advancing parking and curb usage for residents, businesses and mobility services

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Over the last decade, ride-sharing, delivery services, and population growth have placed new demands on the City of Boston's limited curb space. Residents need to quickly understand where they can park. The City must have processes to continuously update parking rules based on community needs. Legal loading zones must be easy to find, such that delivery drivers can access them.

To solve these challenges, the Streets Cabinet and Innovation and Technology Cabinet are building a digital map of Boston’s complex curb network and regulations. Through the U.S. Department of Transportation Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grant, this digital transformation will combine artificial intelligence, real-time information sharing, and planning expertise to implement solutions for curbside management.

“The analysis and modeling made possible by SMART Grant funding will help us make the City's curb management more efficient for planners and more convenient for residents and businesses, as well as save time and money,” said Jascha Franklin-Hodge, Chief of Streets. “We're grateful to the US Department of Transportation for this grant.”

Last updated: May 16, 2025

Published by: Emerging Technology

Published by: Innovation and Technology

Published by: Streets Cabinet

GET IN TOUCH

For questions, please contact Sam at samuel.brenner@boston.gov.

For press inquiries, please contact Shelby at shelby.houghton@boston.gov.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

This project is comprised of two key phases, currently being implemented in Chinatown:

The Office of Emerging Technology and Citywide Analytics team use artificial intelligence to read and process street-level imagery. With the help of 360-degree panoramic imaging and LiDAR technology, this converts parking layout and regulations into a digital format. This information will be used to create a public, interactive map of all Boston's entire curb network.
The City’s Office of the Parking Clerk and New Mobility team will test the digital curb map, enabling flexible curb management to improve safety, access, and adaptability. This tool accelerates the curb planning process, saves time and money, and creates greater convenience for residents and businesses.

"Our innovative approach will fundamentally change how we collect and use curb data," said Michael Lawrence Evans, Director of Emerging Technology. "Our digital map will give us new insight into our curb network while making the data more accessible and actionable for both City staff and residents."

A snapshot of the Chinatown Curb Map Version 1

WHAT IS THE IMPACT?

Bostonians will be able to access real-time information on parking inventory and street sign rules. Through this publicly accessible map, questions on parking rules can be answered in seconds.

“Like Boston itself, our curbs are a dynamic place of potential. Our tools and strategies similarly are evolving,” said Amelia Capone, Director of Parking and Curbside Management. “With the real-time data that this tool will provide, our teams will be better positioned to balance and serve the diverse needs of people and businesses across our city.”

The Transportation Department and Office of the Parking Clerk are committed to ensuring curbside management meets local needs, as demands change and our City grows. In the last 5 years, the City of Boston has seen a 7 percent increase in the number of registered passenger vehicles. The latest City of Boston population projections reflect a 34,000 increase in the next 10 years. Curb usage is evolving, including the MBTA Bus Network Redesign, new street cafes, food takeout zones and electric vehicle charging.

As demands evolve, our problem solving must become more innovative. Revolutionizing transportation technology saves time, saves money and allows planners to serve more Bostonians. Residents can always request parking and curbside changes and report problems to Boston 311, and new transportation technology could prevent frustration and issues for residents, business owners, and drivers frustration.

“AI offers a unique possibility of creating a better experience for our residents to understand complex parking regulations,” said Santiago Garces, Chief Information Officer. “We will be able to experiment with completely new technologies in a responsible way, and address concerns from our neighbors.”

This project also fosters partnership with other cities across the country. This digitization project was recently included in a case study from Harvard’s Data-Smart City Solutions at the Bloomberg Center. Nine other SMART Grant recipients – including Los Angeles, Minneapolis, and Seattle – are also pursuing curb modernization projects. Boston joined the Open Mobility Foundation’s SMART Curb Collaborative, working together with these cities to identify shared problems and work together on solutions.

WHAT IS NEXT?

This project will conclude in May of 2026, resulting in a fully digitized model of Boston’s curbs. The City of Boston continues to pursue a variety of innovative projects, including:

The Common SENSES Project: Bringing together community members, researchers, and City of Boston partners to address environmental hazards
Project Green Light: Reducing traffic congestion with artificial intelligence
Emerging Climate Tech RFI Summary Report: partnering with local startup companies and organizations to combat climate change

For more information on the Office of Emerging Technology, visit their homepage at www.boston.gov/oet. For more information on the Streets Cabinet, visit their homepage at www.boston.gov/streets. For more information on curb management, please visit www.boston.gov/departments/transportation/curb-management.