City Of West Palm Beach Makes Rosemary Square Streets More Efficient With New Smart Zone Pilot

From City of West Palm Beach:

January 19, 2021

The City of West Palm Beach and Related Companies, in partnership with Coord, a leading curb management company, today announced the launch of 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 the mobile devices they already use every day 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, all while improving the experience for people who visit the area. 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 bustling 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 their efforts to modernize their curb management strategy and provide an enjoyable and safe public space for all users.

“As the county seat and region’s economic driver, West Palm Beach is a vibrant, growing city that is committed to utilizing the latest in technology,” said West Palm Beach Mayor Keith A. James. “We are pleased to participate in Coord’s new Smart Zones pilot program to help improve the mobility experience for residents, visitors and our business community. This new technology will help make our downtown streets safer for our businesses, residents and drivers and will make visiting Rosemary Square even more enjoyable.”

“Rosemary Square is the cultural, entertainment and shopping crossroads of one of South Florida’s fastest growing commercial centers and we look forward to continuing to work closely with the City to implement innovative new ways to improve accessibility and ease the flow of traffic for our expanding visitor and tenant base,” said Gopal Rajegowda, Partner, Related Southeast. “Coord’s seamless solution for the future of walkable destinations will build on the momentum of the dramatic streetscape improvements we’ve made over the last year, and we are excited to be part of their initial pilot launch,” he adds.

The City of West Palm Beach has deployed seven Smart Zones located in Rosemary Square:

• 701 S Rosemary Avenue West Side, by Capital One
• 113 S Rosemary Avenue West Side, by Natuzzi
• 700 S Rosemary Avenue East Side, by Venture X
• 137 S Rosemary Avenue West Side, by Casper
• 699 S Rosemary Avenue West Side, by H&M
• 590 Hibiscus Street at S Rosemary South Side, by Harriet Himmel Theater
• 590 Hibiscus Street at S Rosemary North Side, by Brio

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.

“Smart Zones are a valuable tool to help cities improve safety and traffic flow, streamline the experience for commercial drivers, and provide a better experience for everyone doing business in or visiting commercial areas,” said Dawn Miller, Coord’s VP for Policy and Partnerships. “We are thrilled to be working with West Palm Beach and Related Companies on this pilot program and look forward to bringing the insights developed in Rosemary Square to other cities across the country tackling curb management and congestion challenges in their downtowns.”

Coord launched their second annual Digital Curb Challenge this month. Applications can be submitted at coord.com/digital-curb-challenge and are open until February 15, 2021.

This press release was produced by the City of West Palm Beach. The views expressed are the author's own.