Council asks staff to study speed-cushion options after resident complaint about high-speed hill
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Summary
A resident asked the council to allow speed cushions on Southeast Oak View Lane to reduce dangerous downhill speeds. Staff presented engineering guidance citing Portland Bureau of Transportation limits on slope; council asked staff to research specific streets and comparable jurisdictions and report back.
The Estacada City Council heard from a resident on Feb. 10 who requested speed cushions for Southeast Oak View Lane to slow motorists on a steep neighborhood hill. Jim Moriarty, who said he is a resident of Southeast Oak View Lane, told the council he applied in September 2024 for speed cushions and cited examples in other cities. “If I have 2 choices to remediate the speeding ... a flashing light with a hill advisory sign, and 2, a speed limit driver feedback sign, then I want neither,” Moriarty said. “They will not slow people down or solve this issue on my street.”
Staff described engineering and policy constraints. City staff told the council that the Portland Bureau of Transportation’s guidance typically limits speed hump or cushion installations to grades under the agency’s published threshold (staff cited typical code language up to 8 percent grade and noted PBOT does not install cushions on slopes above about 12 percent). Councilors asked staff to look at the specific streets Moriarty referenced and report back with details and any jurisdictions that had installed cushions on comparable slopes.
Council discussion emphasized two priorities: identify proven designs that have been used elsewhere and avoid introducing untested traffic-calming installations that could create safety or liability concerns. A councilor said they would prefer solutions that are “proven somewhere that it’s worked well,” citing litigation risk if the city installs a device that later contributes to a crash.
Council directed staff to follow up: inspect Southeast Oak View Lane, gather data on the cited Portland streets and Happy Valley or other nearby jurisdictions that may have cushions on steep grades, ask about engineering waivers or exceptions, and report back to the Traffic and Public Safety Committee with options (including nonphysical measures and the pros and cons of each). The council did not adopt a binding ordinance or vote on a specific installation at the meeting.
The council and staff also discussed alternative placements—such as locating traffic calming in the flat section between two steep segments or considering private-hoa-owned streets where different rules may apply.
The matter remains under study; staff will return with specific findings and recommendations.
