Q.Appropriate location
Would bearberry be an appropriate choice for the area between curbing and sidewalk on an arterial roadway? I was thinking it would be a better choice than the grass that is there now, as it is an evergreen, seems to be hardy, and will propagate if need be to fill in areas. We have approximately 18-24″ wide strips and the thought was that we could create a consistent viewscape along the length of the town corridor.

Bearberry ground cover is an excellent choice for your growing zone and location.
Bearberry is tolerant of salt, so a location near a road or sidewalk is suitable.
Here is a link with more information.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/groundcover/bearberry/growing-bearberry-plants.htm