City manager proposes rubber speed humps on Ridgedale Road; council gives general approval and asks for neighbor notice

City Manager (identified in the meeting as Mr. Bea) told council on April 1 that Ridgedale Road is a popular cut-through that serves a cluster of public institutions — including Temple Terrace Elementary School, Corpus Christi School, the Ridgetale Sports Complex and adjacent park and golf facilities — and that resident concerns about speeding remain. Staff recommended installing rubberized, bolted-in speed humps (similar to those recently installed in a different neighborhood) as a pilot in the corridor and replacing older, low-profile humps on Sunnyside with the newer generation.

Fire and emergency-services impact: the manager said he had spoken with Fire Chief Kemp and operations staff; the chief’s team indicated concerns at first but ultimately did not oppose the installations given the corridor’s concentration of children and public facilities, and because the humps are removable if needed. Council members noted responses may require slightly slower travel across humps but said the city’s fire apparatus typically does not use high-speed responses on neighborhood streets and that seconds of delay would not outweigh safety gains for children.

Neighborhood and policy issues: Council members asked staff to notify residents along the corridor before installation and emphasized that this corridor differs from the city’s neighborhood-speed-hump policy because Ridgedale is a through street with multiple public destinations; staff concurred that an owner-petition process for residential streets is distinct from this targeted mitigation. The manager said staff would obtain updated pricing and proceed with procurement once the council gave direction.

Why it matters: installation of speed mitigation measures on a through corridor adjacent to schools and sports facilities aims to reduce crash risk and improve safety for pedestrians and children, but requires balancing emergency response considerations and long-term maintenance costs.

Next steps: staff to obtain final pricing, issue purchase order and install speed humps once materials arrive; staff will notify adjacent residents and coordinate with emergency services for monitoring after installation.