Smart Curbside Management

DISCO is an ongoing innovation action project co-funded by the European Commission and coordinated by FIT Consulting, focused on upscaling urban logistics and smart planning¹. It aims to accelerate the transition to decarbonized and digital cities by changing the logistics paradigm through a Physical Internet (PI)-led approach. PI seeks to transform the way physical objects are moved, stored, supplied, and used, ultimately pursuing global logistics efficiency and sustainability.
 

The concept behind DISCO draws inspiration from the music industry, which has already undergone a full transition from vinyl to streaming, facilitated by metadata platforms capable of sharing royalties, services, and music as an end-to-end commodity. Similarly, through a data-driven “cloud” approach, cities can actively manage infrastructure usage by accessing real-time data, avoiding costly investments, and optimizing land use through proactive infrastructure access control, thereby reducing congestion and overuse. DISCO is deploying a demonstration involving four Starring Living Labs and four Twinning Living Labs, with a package of 23 innovation measures across five DISCO-X innovations, categorized into digital, physical, and business layers. The DISCO-X measures (X = Curb, Proxi, Bay, Estate, and Collection) utilize sensor-enabled infrastructures and Physical Internet collaboration protocols to efficiently allocate city infrastructure, demonstrating the value of dynamic infrastructure management.
 

This article focuses specifically on the “DISCOCURB” innovation, which enables the smart and flexible use of curbside space for parking slots, pickup points, and network management. DISCOCURB represents a data-driven, technology-enabled, and dynamic approach to curbside management that enhances land use allocation while leveraging advanced data analytics and digital tools. Two Living Labs have already implemented curbside management measures, as Copenhagen and Helsinki have recently finished their implementations.

Copenhagen’s Approach to Smart Curbside Management

Copenhagen set an ambitious goal of becoming carbon-neutral by 2025, requiring a strategic shift towards sustainable urban planning and smart mobility solutions. Implementing smart curbside management is essential to streamline logistics, enhance urban efficiency, and improve livability while supporting economic growth. A pilot project was launched in the area around Tivoli Gardens, a central amusement park that faces constant logistical challenges due to its high number of visitors. Limited parking and loading zones complicate the management of delivery trucks, service vehicles, and tourist buses. Additionally, construction work at the main delivery entry further exacerbated these challenges, presenting a unique opportunity to test new solutions.
 

The city worked with Coding the Curbs, a startup specializing in curbside management, to transform (un)loading bays into Smart Zones—digital and multifunctional spaces that can easily be reserved by logistics companies, local businesses, and drivers. Outside peak logistics hours, these Smart Zones can be repurposed for car parking, recreation, or shared mobility. The solution comprised three key components:

• A user-friendly booking platform, enabling users to reserve Smart Zones in advance or on-site via a QR code.
• On-street smart signs, displaying real-time zone availability, supporting ad-hoc bookings, and indicating zone functions.
• Sensors, detecting vehicles, providing real-time occupancy data, and supporting enforcement mechanisms.
   

As the designated location at Tivoli Gardens was smaller than the previous logistics area, implementing digital Smart Zones allowed for better space management. The city also installed sensors to track parking occupancy and report violations to local enforcement authorities. During the evaluation phase, the city learnt: location is critical, stakeholders are more likely to engage when there is a clear logistical need; ongoing stakeholder engagement is essential, maintaining regular contact in the local language helps address concerns and anticipate issues; flexibility is key, digital solutions allow for necessary adjustments based on local conditions.
 

Current analyses are assessing the impact of seasonality in such locations. When the amusement park is closed, these parking slots could potentially serve other purposes, maximizing space utilization.
 

Helsinki’s Data-Driven Approach

Helsinki focused on producing data that helped planners understand how loading zones were used, where they should be located, and how street space was utilized for loading and unloading—including identifying potential safety hazards. To achieve this, the city installed different types of monitoring equipment across multiple loading zones with the following objectives:

• Data collection: Measuring the number and type of vehicles, as well as their stopping patterns, to support traffic planning.
• Testing sensor technologies: Evaluating various sensor and camera-based solutions, prioritizing movable and easy-to-install equipment that does not require a fixed power supply.
• Providing real-time information: Offering real-time loading zone occupancy data via a dedicated app, enabling drivers to optimize their daily operations.
   

A survey will be conducted to assess whether drivers find this information beneficial. Additionally, Helsinki explored the use of Floating Car Data (FCD) to gain insights into vehicle movement patterns, identifying where trucks and light commercial vehicles (LCVs) drive, stop, and operate. The hypothesis was that FCD could help planners determine optimal locations for new loading zones, identify areas with heavy traffic but inadequate facilities, and analyze the main routes used by LCVs and trucks.
 

Future Implementations in Barcelona and Padua

In the coming months, Barcelona and Padua will initiate their own DISCOCURB implementations. Barcelona will deploy CCTV cameras in 12 designated DUM (Distribución Urbana de Mercancías) zones, capturing real-time freight vehicle data. Advanced deep learning models will analyze video feeds to detect and track parked vehicles and extract license plate information. This data will be integrated with an existing city app used to reserve and assign DUM parking slots, providing a comprehensive overview of urban logistics patterns.
 

Padua will implement an on-demand system for loading/unloading stalls to accommodate dynamic lockers. Space will be booked through a dedicated webpage, enabling flexible curbside allocation for both dynamic lockers and traditional logistics operations.
 

As a final remark, the DISCOCURB innovation is demonstrating how cities can leverage data-driven strategies to enhance curbside management, making urban logistics more efficient, sustainable, and adaptable. With the integration of smart technologies, dynamic reservation systems, and real-time data analytics, cities like Copenhagen, Helsinki, Barcelona, and Padua are setting new benchmarks in curbside optimization.
 

As the project progresses, insights from these pilots will help refine urban logistics strategies, ensuring that city infrastructure remains responsive to evolving mobility needs while supporting sustainability and economic growth.
 

Anyone interested in staying informed is welcome to register for the newsletter through the DISCO website and can also follow the project’s developments, events, and regular webinars via LinkedIn. It is equally worth noting that a DISCO Knowledge hub has been created which offers several useful resources.
 

The DISCO project will also be featured at the 21st European Parking Conference & Exhibition in Brussels on 17–18 September 2025. We warmly invite you to register and join us there to continue the conversation. You’ll also find EPA at Intertraffic Amsterdam 2026 — another great opportunity to connect in person. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Author: Paola Astegiano, FIT Consulting, DISCO Project Coordinator
 

¹ EPA is one of the 47 partners in the DISCO project, for more information please see https://discoprojecteu.com/.