Chester council reviews final reading of speed-hump ordinance establishing petition, study process

Chester council reviewed the final reading of Bill No. 4 on Oct. 20, 2025, an ordinance that would add new Article 513, "Traffic Calming Measures," establishing criteria and procedures for installing speed humps on city-owned roadways in residential areas.

The ordinance lays out a multi-step process: a petition must be signed by a majority of neighbors on a block, staff will inspect proposed locations for compliance with PennDOT guidelines (including minimum distances from intersections and permissible street grades), a speed study must show violations, and the city engineer would then recommend locations to council for approval.

Why it matters: Council members said the measure answers years of resident requests for traffic calming while creating a uniform, defensible process. Council members also flagged budget and implementation questions that could limit how many installations can happen in a given year.

Mr. Haman, a staff member who described the technical distinctions and the ordinance process, told council that the ordinance covers installation of "speed humps" rather than parking-lot style speed bumps and explained why humps are preferred on public streets. He said, "They slow down vehicles, but they we risk, less damage to, you know, emergency vehicles, things like that." He added that staff would confirm eligibility "per PennDOT guidelines" and that locations "can't be within 150 feet of an intersection" and that a speed study would be required.

Several council members pressed on cost and annual capacity. One council member asked, "And how much do they cost? And is there a limit to how many we can put in in a in a year? Do we budget for speed humps?" Mr. Haman replied that installation typically runs in the "$3,000 plus range, 3 to 5" thousand dollars per site and that signage and striping are also required. He warned that the city has not budgeted line-item funds for this ordinance yet and that demand in the first year will determine fiscal needs.

Council members said the ordinance should make the petition and eligibility criteria available at City Hall and online so residents do not spend time collecting signatures for locations that are ineligible. One council member noted that requests can take months to process: "a year wait for a speed bump wouldn't be unreasonable," they said, describing long-standing requests such as the one on Tillman Street.

The draft ordinance also leaves discretion to the city engineer to prioritize installations if many eligible sites come forward. Council did not record a final vote on Bill No. 4 in the transcript; the item was on the agenda for final reading.

Council asked staff to prepare public-facing materials that list eligibility rules, anticipated signage requirements, typical costs and the petition form should the ordinance be adopted.

Provenance: - topicintro: excerpt introducing "final reading of bill number 4" and Article 513 (transcript excerpt). - topfinish: excerpt where staff and council discuss cost, signage, petitions and availability at City Hall (transcript excerpt).

Ending: Council discussion continued with follow-up requests for budget estimates and public materials; no formal adoption vote is recorded in the available transcript.