EIT Urban Mobility project 2023
Selected as one of the four Sustainable City Logistic proposals in the EIT Urban Mobility Call for Innovation, "Coding the Curbs" is actively implementing and managing Smart Zones across three diverse European cities. Working on sustainable city logistics, viewed through a European perspective.
About the project
Coding the Curbs prepares three European cities for digital control on logistic traffic, more liveable cities and new revenue streams.
The way logistics operates will evolve in the urban context. Increasing pressure on inner cities, congestion and pollution are rampant. For logistics this means going from 'first come first serve' and a 'jungle' to booking guaranteed spaces and 'pay per use'. For cities this means managing scarce public space in a sustainable and efficient way. During the EIT project we co-create with carriers and citizens, offering clear incentives and engagement.
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With a scalable platform, an innovation in the market, bookable loading zones are piloted. Introduced are pricing, incentives and enforcement. This will directly result in a beer use of loading zones ('flatten the peak'), reduction of kilometers driven by 20%, a stimulus of clean and safe transport & more efficient logistics. The pilot uses live monitorin and co- creation to improve the system.
Meet the project partners
Together with these partners we're working towards creating the future cities.
Groningen is the largest city in the North-Netherlands with a population of 235.000 people. The daily urban system of Groningen counts around 500.000 people. Groningen is a vibrant student city, with the youngest average age of inhabitants in the Netherlands. Groningen has a rich history when it comes to implementing new mobility interventions.
The 6th District of Bucharest, the capital of Romania, is the 2nd largest in terms of population (397.366 citizens). Despite its main function of housing, catered for the middle class, the district has lately emerged as one of the social and economic centres of the city.
Riga, Latvia's capital, boasts a population of 614,618 as of 2021, a third of the nation's total. As Latvia's largest city by a considerable margin, Riga holds a central role. It comprises six districts, with the historic central district designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This concentration of businesses near the historical center adds complexity to the city's logistics.
"Groningen is dedicated to a sustainable and pedestrian-friendly city, prioritizing green spaces and climate adaptation over cars, and has successfully embraced Smartzones for cutting-edge urban logistics. In two test locations, Smartzones have shown immense potential. The Gedempte Zuiderdiep Smartzone enhances digital logistics access with reserved loading zones and refrigerated truck power points, reducing emissions. Meanwhile, the Haddingestraat Smartzone demonstrates versatile space utilization, accommodating loading/unloading, resident parking, and bike storage during events. The Coding the Curbs (CTC) team, a proficient and flexible organization, oversees the pilot project, ensuring coordination, reporting, and support for project partners. We enthusiastically endorse CTC as an excellent collaborative partner."
Sjouke van der Vlugt - City of Groningen
A European initiative to create liveable urban spaces
EIT Urban Mobility is an initiative of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT). Since January 2019, EIT Urban Mobility has been working to encourage positive changes in the way people move around cities in order to make them more liveable places. We aim to become the largest European initiative transforming urban mobility. Co-funding of up to EUR 400 million (2020-2026) from the EIT, a body of the European Union, will help make this happen.
This project is supported by EIT Urban Mobility, an initiative of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union. EIT Urban Mobility acts to accelerate positive change on mobility to make urban spaces more liveable. Learn more: eiturbanmobility.eu