RTMP-SpeedHump_FINAL.pdf(PDF, 276KB)
Goals
- Improve residential livability by encouraging adherence to the speed limit.
- Maintain access, safety and comfort for alternative transportation users on residential streets.
- Encourage citizen involvement in solutions to residential traffic problems.
- Appropriately channel public resources by prioritizing traffic mitigation requests according to documented criteria.
- Effectively address the frequently conflicting, public safety interests of traffic mitigation and emergency response.
Policies
A request to consider modification of traffic flow on public streets shall meet all of the following criteria:
- The street must be classified as a two-lane, local street and be primarily residential in nature.
- Traffic volumes must equal or exceed the threshold volumes as indicated by the specific treatment criteria.
- Police and Fire Departments review and approve for satisfactory emergency service access.
- A traffic engineering safety study has determined that the proposed traffic flow modifications will not create undue traffic congestion on the subject street or on streets, which may be impacted by diverted traffic.
- The Citizens Association or the Neighborhood must designate a contact person(s) who will be the primary contact in the neighborhood for answering residents’ questions.
Petition Acceptance & Support Requirements
The City Traffic Services Division determines the boundary of the “affected area” to be included in the petition directly and indirectly affected areas. The petition requesting traffic flow modifications must be supported by 70 percent of the total number of households directly affected by the proposed changes; one (1) household, one (1) signature minimum, 85 percent of all affected households that may need to use the street(s) on a daily basis must be contacted for petition to be accepted by the City. The City will post a minimum of two (2) yard signs on the requested street, indicating speed humps have been requested and qualify based on our policy. The City will mail ballot cards to addresses within the affected area requesting a response from the occupant regarding approval for the installation of speed humps on the requested street. The households immediately adjacent to the proposed improvement must accept the proposal 100%. All petitions have a deadline of 60 calendar days from the day the ballot cards are placed in the mail.
An eligible household is a single residential or commercial unit and shall include property owners, tenants, businesses and long-term tenants such as mobile park residents within the “affected area”. In case of conflict between property owner and tenant, the property owner’s vote takes precedence over the tenant.
Speed Hump Application Policy
Staff Evaluation – An engineering and safety evaluation for any speed hump request will be made to determine if guidelines listed below are met. Speed humps can have a wide-ranging impact not only on the vehicles, but also on the residents living on the immediate and nearby streets. Therefore, their installation will be evaluated within an overall residential management study. The Citizens Association or the Neighborhood must designate a contact person(s) who will be the primary contact in the neighborhood for answering residents’ questions concerning speed humps.
Speed hump applications will be handled in the order in which they were received. The city will fund only locations based on the annual funding provided they meet all criteria.
Streets – Speed humps will be considered for installation only on residential, local streets. A local street is defined as one whose abutting land use is at least 85% residential when considered in segments of one thousand feet in length or more. The minimum length of the street or street segment under consideration for speed humps shall not be less than 1000 feet.
Speed - Speed humps will be considered on local streets where the posted speed is 25 mph and speeds are at least seven (7) miles per hour or more above the posted speed limit by at least 85% of those vehicles using the street.
If the speed requirements are not met at the time of the initial study, a second study can be obtained six (6) months afterward to determine if the street meets this qualification.
Traffic Volumes – Each individual street location should be evaluated to justify installing speed humps. Street(s) must have a peak hour traffic volume of at least 100 vehicles (equivalent to approximately 1000 vehicles per day). Street(s) with average daily traffic volumes exceeding 3000 vehicles per day may require a special evaluation and justification for approval, giving full consideration to other alternative measures, where appropriate.
Residential Surveys – City staff will determine a petition area and coordinate petition circulation in order to determine a location for speed hump installation. The concurrence of not less than 70 % (one signature per household), either single family or multi family, whose livability is directly affected by the traffic conditions along the street(s) or street section(s) being considered for speed hump installation. This typically means direct road frontage of a residence but can also include adjoining side streets or cul-de-sacs. Where the proposed speed hump locations are determined, 100% of the signatures of the adjacent properties are required.
Non-Compliant Installation – If it is determined that a street does not meet the speed and volume requirements for speed humps and a residential area still desires speed humps, there are several options:
- The residents could pay for the cost of the speed hump(s) and the city will provide the labor for a one-time installation.
- The residents could pursue a Local Improvement District designation.
- The neighborhood can provide a petition with the needed signatures to city council and the council can direct staff to proceed with installing the speed humps.
Should a residential area pursue non-compliant installation, petition acceptance & support is still required and can be coordinated with City staff. The contact person or residential area may reimburse the City, who will then circulate mailed ballot cards within the affected area as previously defined. Responses from the mailed ballot cards are considered valid and current for six (6) months from the conclusion of the initial study and may be used for options one (1) and three (3) from above. Non-compliant installation can only be pursued on studies conducted in the previous six (6) months. All previous deadlines, support, acceptance, and signature thresholds apply.
Speed Hump Installation – After obtaining all studies, approvals, and the appropriate residential surveys the city will install or have a contractor install the speed hump(s). Residents are to be reminded that mandatory signage and pavement markings accompany speed humps. There will be a minimum of two (2) warnings signs per approach per speed hump, one (1) placed on the right-hand side of the road and another placed at or near the speed hump, within the city right of way.
Speed Hump Removal – Once the speed hump(s) has been in place for two (2) years, a neighborhood can revisit their decision to use speed hump(s). If the residential survey reveals a 70 % support from the residents to remove the speed humps, they will be removed.
If the neighborhood requests removal before the two-year period they will be responsible for 50% of the removal cost.
Speed Hump Detail
