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Council approves pilot rubber speed cushions and directs citywide speed-hump policy
Summary
After reviewing a traffic study for Clarita Avenue, the Hawaiian Gardens City Council unanimously directed staff to develop a citywide speed-hump policy and to run a reversible pilot installing rubber speed cushions on Clarita Avenue between 214th and 211th streets; staff also recommended targeted evening enforcement and updated crossing signage.
The Hawaiian Gardens City Council voted unanimously March 11 to establish a citywide speed-hump policy and to implement a pilot program installing reversible rubber speed cushions on Clarita Avenue between 214th and 211th streets.
Staff presented a traffic-calming update prepared by Wilden Engineering and city traffic staff. The presentation summarized multiple 24-hour traffic counts collected on several dates in September–December 2025 and a three-year collision review (Jan. 1, 2022–Dec. 31, 2024). Staff said roughly 85% of motorists traveled at or below the posted 25 mph limit on the study segment. Observed speed distributions showed about 12–17.2% of vehicles exceeded 25 mph, and 0.1–0.3% were more than 10 mph above the posted limit. The collision review returned three reported collisions on the segment with no clear speed-related crash pattern, and a sheriff’s citation review (Jan. 1, 2023–Oct. 15, 2025) found no citations on the segment during that interval.
Based on those findings, staff recommended a package of measures: targeted speed enforcement during weekday evening peaks, drafting a citywide speed-hump policy to govern future installations, updating a school-crossing assembly sign at Clarita Avenue and 213th Street to current state guidance, and a pilot program installing modular rubber speed cushions at two locations on Clarita Avenue (recommended locations: between 214th–213th Street and between 212th–211th Street). Staff described rubber speed cushions as reversible, modular devices that can reduce speeds while accommodating emergency vehicles.
Council members asked about the study’s time coverage, whether the recording equipment is visible to drivers, and the process for adopting a formal speed-hump policy. After discussion, a motion to adopt the policy framework and implement the pilot was seconded and passed on a unanimous roll-call vote (Council member Depala, Council member Victor Farfin, Council member Vargas and Mayor Del Rio all voting yes).
Next steps, as described by staff, include returning to the council with a draft speed-hump policy for review and organizing the pilot installation as a reversible test so the city can monitor effectiveness and remove cushions if they prove unsuitable.
Votes and next procedural steps: the council’s motion authorized staff to develop the policy and begin the pilot; staff will present an implementation schedule and policy draft in a future meeting.
