Council approves 'Slow Down in Roswell' pilot traffic‑calming program and $400,000 request

The Roswell City Council on Oct. 14 unanimously approved an initiative called "Slow Down in Roswell," authorizing staff to advance a pilot neighborhood traffic‑calming program and to include a $400,000 request for devices in the FY2026 budget.

Lede/nut graf: Greg Nicholas, interim director of transportation, presented a scored neighborhood traffic‑calming matrix and proposed a phased pilot that uses temporary installations (speed cushions, speed tables, delineators and speed‑feedback signs), data collection and later evaluation for permanent installations. Council voted 6‑0 to advance the program.

What was approved - Council approved the neighborhood traffic calming matrix and directed staff to pursue the pilot program and associated budget request. - Pilot funding requested in the FY2026 budget: $400,000 for traffic calming devices; staff also requested a traffic analyst position. - Pilot approach: (1) collect baseline speed and volume data (staff used StreetLight data for prioritization); (2) install temporary devices and evaluate for 30–60 days; (3) identify and install permanent measures where data support them.

Matrix and prioritization Nicholas said the matrix weights five factors: speeding (40%), traffic volume (30%), sidewalks (20%), amenities (5%) and poverty rate (5%). Using the scoring, staff identified about 11 neighborhoods for early piloting in 2026. The pilot focuses on the interior neighborhood road segments rather than state routes and major collectors.

Public comments and council discussion Resident Janet Russell, who identified herself as a Roswell resident, urged a broader approach and questioned why named subdivisions were prioritized; she recommended a citywide 20 mph standard on two‑lane neighborhood roads and said, "You are not sitting in traffic. You are traffic." Nicholas and council members said the pilot is data driven and that state roads and posted limits under white signs are controlled by the Georgia Department of Transportation, limiting unilateral local changes.

Councilmember David Johnson, who sponsored the motion, framed the program as a life‑safety effort: "It is my ultimate goal while I sit in this chair that no pedestrian dies in this ... city," he said, calling traffic calming a multi‑year effort.

Timing and evaluation Nicholas told council the department would begin data collection immediately and expects most pilot data to be gathered by July 2026 so staff can evaluate performance in time for future budget planning. Temporary measures will be monitored for 30–60 days after installation; staff will return with recommendations for permanent features if the data show the pilot achieves desired speed reductions.

Vote and motion Motion to approve: Councilmember David Johnson. Second: Councilmember Allen Sells. Vote: unanimous, 6‑0.

Ending Council approved the pilot and asked staff to coordinate outreach and data collection; the $400,000 budget request will be considered as part of the FY2026 process.

Quotes "The goals of the program are to improve the quality of life, make streets safer, particularly for pedestrians, and to slow down traffic on local roads," Greg Nicholas said. "You are not sitting in traffic. You are traffic," resident Janet Russell said.

Note: the pilot does not change posted state highway speed limits controlled by GDOT; staff said local enforcement and device placement will focus on city‑controlled streets.