Residents press Estacada council for traffic calming in Campanella Estates after cut-through traffic rises

Campanella Estates residents urged the Estacada City Council on multiple fronts to act after new subdivision connections have turned neighborhood streets into a cut-through route used day and night.

At a July council meeting, residents said traffic volumes are higher than before the new through‑street opened and that existing speed humps are not slowing drivers. They asked the council to install additional or taller speed humps, add stop signs at key intersections, deploy radar speed signs or cameras and increase enforcement.

The residents’ plea: why the neighborhood is now a bypass

Tracy Hayes, a Campanella Estates resident, told council that since a road connection was opened, “traffic is increasing significantly at all hours,” and drivers routinely exceed the 25 mph limit. Hayes said the speed humps installed after a petition were “not proven effective” and asked for taller or more numerous humps, a four‑way stop at Hill and Broadway and a stop at Hill and Forest Park. She asked the city to reinstall the traffic counter and to consider camera enforcement and more radar patrols.

Other residents echoed those concerns. Britney Hill said she lives near Raymond and worries “deeply for [her] three young children” because the street “no longer feels like a residential street.” Julie Peterson and Stephanie Rigg described people “launching” over existing humps and asked the city to act before “a preventable accident occurs.” Several speakers described regular occurrences of drivers accelerating between humps and sometimes peeling out.

Why it matters: threats to children, pedestrians and neighborhood livability

Residents said children, cyclists and walkers use the Greenway and local parks; they asked for a mix of engineering (physical changes), enforcement (police presence) and education (public awareness) to restore safety. Wally Conza and others detailed that the Greenway is drying and overgrown in places, creating additional safety and maintenance concerns for families who use the corridor.

Staff response and next steps the council discussed

Public Works reported that a traffic counter was reinstalled on Hill Way “as of today” to collect volume and speed data. Public Works Director Don (referred to as Don in the meeting) told the council he had been tracking the situation and that the counter data would inform any engineered changes. Council members moved the topic into council business and committed staff to seek options.

Clackamas County deputies and the city’s contract policing representatives said enforcement will be increased in visible locations and that traffic enforcement will continue as available. Chief (Lieutenant/Chief) Mendoza advised the three‑pronged approach the council and residents described: enforcement, education and engineering. Mendoza said deputies would be visible in the area and encouraged speed enforcement operations where appropriate. The sheriff’s office noted it will also place a new deputy in town (a staffing change discussed at the meeting) which will increase coverage once in place.

Other enforcement and engineering options discussed

- Staff and council discussed speed feedback signs (radar displays that show a driver’s speed) and flashing beacons for marked crosswalks. - Photo‑radar systems were discussed in general terms; staff said they are legally available under state law but noted equipment and processing costs and that cooperative programs with nearby cities could be considered. - Several councilors suggested a mix of more speed humps and additional stop signs to break up long segments motorists are using as a bypass.

What the council directed

Council and staff directed: 1) collection of empirical speed and volume data (traffic counter already installed), 2) continued and targeted deputy enforcement in Campanella Estates, 3) exploration of short‑ and medium‑term engineering measures (additional speed humps, stop signs, speed feedback signs) and 4) engagement with the city’s Traffic and Public Safety committee to develop a public education and enforcement campaign. No formal ordinance or funding decision was made at the meeting; councilors asked staff to return with options and cost estimates.

Community context and immediate impacts

Residents repeatedly emphasized they moved to Campanella Estates for a neighborhood where children can play outside and where neighbors know one another; they said the sudden rise in through‑traffic has eroded that quality of life. Several speakers described near‑misses at intersections and parents’ worry about small children walking or biking to parks and nearby schools.

What to expect next

Staff said they would review counter data and return with recommended engineering changes and cost estimates. The public safety committee and police will coordinate enforcement actions and public outreach, and council members signaled urgency in reviewing options.

Ending

Council members thanked residents for attending and for raising safety concerns; several councilors and staff described the issue as a high priority and pledged to return with concrete proposals and costs at an upcoming council meeting.