|
Description
Speed tables
can be appropriate for local streets that have high traffic speeds.
Speed tables consist of raised sections of driving surface installed
across the street. The maximum height at center is three inches, depending
on the street design.
Speed tables can be installed on a residential street if the criteria set forth in this policy is satisfied and a signed petition representing 80% of the properties along the street is received. Speed tables will be installed only with City Council approval and with available funding as budgeted annually by the City Council.
Request
Process
Citizens
interested in having Speed Tables Installed on their street, should
contact the City. A packet of information explaining the process leading
to speed tables installation will be sent to them. City staff will
discuss with the resident whether or not their street appears to meet
the criteria for Speed Tables and what, if any additional information
will have to be gathered to determine if the street meets the criteria.
For purposes of evaluating the street and for purposes of public involvement and petitions, City staff will determine a logical street segment, on a case-by-case basis. Generally, the logical street segment will be between significant intersections.
Requests will not be considered on a block-by-block basis because Speed tables will affect residents beyond immediate locations where they are physically installed. The logical street segment may consist of the entire street or a portion of a longer street between significant intersections. Logical street sections will generally be 1/2 mile or shorter.
Before proceeding with the evaluation of a street, the City must receive a written request for Speed Tables signed by citizens representing a minimum of 25% of the properties along the street. City staff will then verify the request meets the technical criteria.
Technical
Criteria
The street
must be a local residential street (a street where the adjacent land
uses fronting the street include residences, schools, churches). Speed
Tables can have adverse safety and operational effects on throughfares,
high volume streets, and commercial streets; therefore, throughfares,
and streets with commercial frontage are excluded.
The street must be a local residential street generally no more than 1500 feet in length measured from one end of the street to the other, regardless of intersections. The City cannot place Speed Tables on private streets . Streets that are less than 1500 feet in length are unlikely to benefit substantially from Speed Tables.
The 85th percentile of speed on the street must be greater than or equal to 36 miles per hour. The 85th percentile speed is the speed at or below which 85% of all motorists travel. Ideally, traffic on residential streets should have speeds at or below the speed limit, which is 30 miles per hour on most residential streets. Speed Tables are generally effective in lowering speeds above 35 miles per hour to less than 30 miles per hour.
Traffic volume must be between 400 to 4,000 vehicles per day. On high volume streets, Speed Tables can increase accidents as motorists spaced closely together respond differently to the Speed Tables. On streets with very low volumes, the benefits of Speed Tables will be low.
For streets that do not meet these criteria, City staff will work with residents to determine alternative solutions to traffic problems. If the request meets the criteria, residents will be notified and a public meeting will be scheduled. All households on the street will be notified of the meeting.
Public
Involvement and Petition Process
A public
meeting will be held to discuss the road hump request, answer residents
questions and explain the petition requirements and funding process.
Citizens representing a minimum of 80% of the properties on the street
must sign the petition.
Residents are responsible for obtaining the signatures along the street. The petition will be forwarded to the City Council for consideration.
Funding
Considerations
Speed Tables
will be installed only with City Council approval and available funding
as budgeted annually by The City Council. Depending on the number
of installations requested and the amount of funding available, it
may be necessary to prioritize requests for Speed Table installations
in any fiscal year.
City staff will consider the 85th percentile speed and the percentage (above 80%) of residences represented on petition in preparing prioritized funding recommendations for City Council consideration.
Speed
Table Removal
The City
reserves the right to remove Speed Tables. However, traffic calming
treatments such as Speed Tables are required to be left in place for
a minimum of two years from the date of installation to allow for
a reasonable period of time for the long term effects of the design
element to become evident.
In the event that a neighborhood seeks its removal before this time limit, the neighborhood will be responsible for the entire cost of the removal.