Traffic Calming
The City’s Traffic Calming Program (TCP) is designed to improve the quality of life on our neighborhood streets and address speeding on streets classified as local or residential.
To qualify for participation in the Traffic Calming Program, a neighborhood must be on a two-lane local residential street with a posted speed limit of 25 miles per hour and a minimum of 12 dwellings fronting the street per 1,000 feet of roadway. Additionally, the street must have daily traffic of at least 600 but no more than 5,000 vehicles per day.
A speeding problem should be documented and should demonstrate a minimum average speed of at least 29 miles per hour or the 85th percentile speed of at least 33 miles per hour.
An initial evaluation is performed prior to implementation of the program which is used to document the speeding problem, establish the controls, and determine benchmarks to measure program effectiveness. Final eligibility is determined by Traffic Engineering.
Depending on traffic volume and speed, participating neighborhoods may complete up to four phases of the program. Phases must be completed in sequential order starting with Phase I.
If compliance is achieved during a post-phase traffic study, the neighborhood will not need to continue with additional phases.
Phase I - Community Contact & Education
Traffic Engineering discusses the program with civic league leaders or similar representatives. The neighborhood or civic league selects one street and location for evaluation.
Due to limited funding, only one affected street per neighborhood can be evaluated.
Phase II - Selective Police Enforcement
Traffic Engineering performs a 48-hour speed study on the selected street to see if it qualifies.
Traffic Engineering and the Police Department schedule enforcement on the designated street during the highest violation periods.
Enforcement is conducted weekly for twelve or more weeks, after which a traffic study is performed to determine if program compliance has been achieved.
Phase III - Additional $200 Fine (by petition)
If a street remains in non-compliance after one year of selective enforcement, 75% of the directly affected property owners must sign a petition agreeing to an additional $200 fine for speeding.
Once the petition has been submitted and verified, Traffic Engineering will conduct studies to select the streets that will be covered.
Signs will be posted to indicate the street to be included in Phase III.
Police enforcement will be scheduled, after which another a traffic study will be performed to determine if program compliance has been achieved.
Phase IV - Physical Devices & Traffic Control Restrictions (by petition
In order to move to Phase IV, Phase III must be in place for at least one year with continued non-compliance.
If a street remains in non-compliance after Phase III, Traffic Engineering requires 75% of the directly affected property owners to sign a petition supporting physical devices installed on the designated street.
Once the petition has been submitted and verified, Traffic Engineering designs and schedules installation of the device(s). Installation occurs only if the Police Department, Fire Department, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), and property owners within 100 feet approve the installation.