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Board approves two-year pilot for seasonal temporary speed bumps and suspends new requests during trial
Summary
Michigan City approved a two-year pilot program for seasonal temporary speed bumps at three locations and voted to suspend consideration of additional speed-bump requests until the pilot concludes; public commenters raised concerns about emergency response delays and vehicle impacts.
The Michigan City Board of Public Works and Safety approved a two-year pilot program July 20 to test seasonal temporary speed bumps at three locations and voted to suspend any consideration of additional speed-bump requests until the pilot ends.
Staff described the pilot as a two-year seasonal program in which the temporary bumps would be removed for winter months and replaced in spring. "This pilot program is only 2 years ... They're seasonal speed bumps," a city staff member said, noting daily and weekly monitoring for defects and damage and a roughly $4,000 total cost per location including labor and signage.
During public comment, residents raised concerns that speed bumps can impede emergency vehicles, cause maintenance challenges (snow plows), and produce limited speed reductions. "Cities avoid using speed bumps on major roadways to prevent severe delays for fire trucks and ambulances," commenter Tommy Kolovic said.
After discussion the board approved a motion to suspend consideration of additional speed-bump requests until the pilot program is complete; the motion passed by voice vote.
Why it matters: the pilot limits immediate expansion of traffic-calming devices citywide while giving staff two years to assess effectiveness, maintenance needs and community impacts. The suspension creates a clear window for data collection and evaluation before adopting more permanent measures.
