Recently, the cities of Akron and Cleveland announced that pilot programs begun in 2022 will be expanded to other residential neighborhoods in their communities. In both cities, the programs are reducing the speeds at which vehicles travel in neighborhoods with the goal of making pedestrians and other vulnerable road users safer.
Cleveland Traffic Calming Pilot a Success
Earlier this month, the City of Cleveland released findings from a year-long pilot program that used speed tables and radar speed feedback to "inform a future citywide traffic calming policy." This pilot is part of the city's effort to implement its Vision Zero Action Plan, which was adopted by the City Planning Commission in September 2022.
Cleveland Identified 10 Locations for Speed Tables
After identifying 10 locations, primarily residential streets with medium traffic volumes and documented speeding issues or a history of fatal crashes, the city installed ten vertical bumps in the road that cause drivers to slow down to drive over them. After speed table installation, all locations experienced notable speed reduction according to pre- and post-installation traffic counts. A survey of residents found that over 77 percent of respondents desired an expanded speed table program across the city.
Average speeds by pilot locations pre-and post-installation, as part of City of Cleveland Speed Table Pilot Evaluation. Image source: City of Cleveland 2022 Speed Table Pilot Program Evaluations and Key Recommendations (May, 2023).
Based upon the success of the pilot study, Cleveland is planning to move forward with the installation of additional speed tables across the city, utilizing formed asphalt rather than modular rubber tables. Additionally, the city will install vertical delineators between curb lines and speed tables to increase visibility and discourage drive-around behavior.
The project is being funded with $3 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) resources the city has available. You can read the full report and see a map of the location of all tables installed as part of the pilot project on the city's Division of Traffic Engineering website.
Akron Installing speed tables in 11 residential areas
Akron also is moving forward with the installation of 21 speed tables in 11 locations starting this month. The installations are based on requests from neighborhood residents and follow consultations with stakeholders, including the Akron City Council, city departments, Metro RTA, and Akron Public Schools. Speeding in residential areas was a common concern voiced by residents according to Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan. After a pilot program conducted last year proved to be a useful tool to reduce speeding in residential areas, the city will go forward with more speed tables, as well as the installation of solar speed limit signs which will be installed later this summer.
GOPC is excited by the early results of the Cleveland study and eagerly awaits more results to come out of Akron. GOPC encourages communities around the state to conduct similar pilot programs. Regional “equipment libraries” maintained by MPOs and regional local government groups, such as the Center for Local Government, can provide the temporary pilot equipment.