Commission discusses traffic‑calming pilot program after resident complaints about speed

The commission discussed a proposed traffic‑calming program after staff presented research and examples from peer cities. Jason (public works) and Commissioner Roberts introduced the agenda item, noting the term traffic calming replaces "speed bumps" and that measures aim to reduce speeds and cut through traffic on local and collector streets.

Staff said the model they reviewed (City of Norman) has a nine‑step process, 25 device types and a removal process. Examples presented included radar feedback signs, speed tables, rumble strips, center medians, traffic circles and partial street closures. Staff emphasized criteria used by other cities: 85th‑percentile speed exceeding the posted limit by roughly 8 mph, sustained high volumes of speeding vehicles, accident history and proximity to schools, parks and sidewalks. "If you have a neighborhood and it's literally 1 person speeding all the time, that's not what this is for," staff said, adding enforcement is the right tool for one‑off offenders.

Commissioners voiced support for a pilot program with clear criteria and time limits. One commissioner recalled a prior rumble‑strip pilot that was later removed after sustained complaints and said any pilot should include quantitative measures of success and a removal process. Staff reported the police department already uses two portable radar monitoring units that record counts and speeds and can produce reports; commissioners suggested using those devices to gather baseline data.

Why it matters: Traffic calming can reduce speeds on residential streets and reduce crash risk, but can also shift traffic to nearby routes and may affect emergency‑vehicle response times. Commissioners asked staff to draft a pilot plan, identify a small pool of candidate streets and build objective criteria for installation and removal.