Bel Air council unanimously approves permanent speed humps on Braeburn Drive

Bel Air’s City Council voted unanimously May 4 to grant final approval for speed humps on the 5400 block of Braeburn Drive after a city staff presentation and public hearing.

Travis Tanner, the city’s director of development services, told council the trial — required by city policy — ran at least 180 days and produced measurable changes: “From before to after the speed humps, the portion of vehicle speeding went from 29% to 10%,” he said, and daily vehicle counts dropped from about 900 vehicles per day to just over 500. Tanner said staff would recommend final approval “given the data and the overall satisfaction from the petitioners.”

Residents offered mixed views during the hearing. Peggy Marine, who said she lives on the Braeburn block, described a near‑miss involving a speeding car and urged council to retain the humps: “There are children riding bikes in the street and people walking dogs,” she said. Nathan Wesley, a resident and former council member who testified against humps in some areas, said enforcement should be the priority: “Maybe it doesn’t apply here, but generally, this does not fix the problem. We need to fix the problem citywide,” he said.

Council members discussed enforcement and adjacent‑street impacts. One councilor flagged the department’s rising traffic‑stop numbers as part of the enforcement picture: “The number of traffic stops…in the 2nd quarter of 2026 [was] 3,835,” the councilor said, noting increases year over year. Several members said they would like data on whether traffic diverted to nearby streets after installation; staff said they had only collected speed data for Braeburn itself and would need additional surveys to evaluate spillover effects.

With the item moved from the consent agenda for a formal motion, Councilmember Witt moved approval and Councilmember Gordon seconded; Mayor Gus E. Pappas asked those in favor to raise their hands and “it passes unanimously.” The action grants final approval for the two speed humps on the 5400 block to remain in place.

Council and staff signaled interest in developing a broader, citywide approach that pairs targeted traffic‑calming installations, enforcement and street design options rather than relying on any single tool. Staff noted the program requires resident petitions (more than 80% on the block in this case) and resident cost participation for installation.