Des Moines unveils three‑phase neighborhood traffic‑calming program, names five pilot locations

Des Moines City staff presented a new neighborhood traffic‑calming framework April 3 that formalizes how the city will handle resident speeding complaints and prioritizes locations for physical traffic calming.

The program uses a three‑phase approach. In Phase 1 the city will accept resident reports through a new online submission form and then conduct a three‑day automated traffic study using magnetic counters to measure speed and volume. Eligibility criteria include a minimum daily traffic threshold, at least 20% of vehicles recorded exceeding the speed limit by 5 miles per hour, and that the street is a neighborhood/local classification (arterials are excluded). Phase 2 uses temporary measures — signage, temporary radar feedback signs and targeted enforcement coordinated with the police department. If speeds persist and 85th‑percentile speeds exceed the limit by 10 mph, the city will move to Phase 3.…