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Council reviews 2023 speed-enforcement gains and signals workshop to update 2001 speed-hump policy
Summary
Police reported increased traffic enforcement and citations after adding motor officers; staff reviewed the 2001 speed-hump policy, described alternatives (striping, speed cushions, engineering), and council agreed to pursue a public workshop to consider updating the policy and next steps.
Captain Jeremiah Larson presented the city's traffic enforcement report and said El Cajon increased its motor-unit staffing from three to four officers, which coincided with a 154% increase in motor-division citations between 2022 and 2023 and roughly 1,337 total traffic citations in 2023 (about 147 for speeding). Staff described tools in use: eight fixed speed display signs, two portable speed trailers, two portable message sign boards, and coordinated county motor-unit details and grant-funded overtime.
Larson and staff emphasized a mix of enforcement, targeted overtime details, and engineering while noting the challenge that enforcement requires officers to observe infractions in the act. Council members raised resident concerns about red-light runners and asked about enforcement strategies; staff said targeted details and community reports inform deployments.
Staff also reviewed the city's existing speed-hump policy (adopted in 2001) and described a typical sequence used by other cities: enforcement first, then striping or other engineering measures, and speed humps as a last resort. Staff summarized Encinitas'style quantitative criteria (80th-percentile speed thresholds, crash history, cut-through volume, pedestrian and sidewalk considerations) and said Taft Street did not qualify for speed humps under that scoring but may qualify for striping or stop-sign changes.
Council members expressed support for a community workshop to revisit and reduce subjectivity in the 2001 policy; members discussed timing to avoid "workshop fatigue," trade-offs between engineering solutions and impacts on residents, and possible use of speed cushions that can be removed. The council reached general consensus that a workshop would be helpful, leaving exact timing to staff.
No formal change to the speed-hump policy was adopted at the meeting; staff will return with options and potentially a public workshop later in the year.
