City engineer outlines speed-table specs and costs, commission weighs traffic-calming options

Mike Foget, the city engineer, told the Blue Lake Public Safety Commission that speed tables "typically can get 7 to 8 mile an hour reduction in speeds" and are generally preferred over speed bumps for noise reduction and emergency‑vehicle access. He described a typical speed table as roughly 22 feet long with a 10‑foot flat top and about 4 inches of height, and estimated installation costs in the order of $10,000 per table depending on street width and shoulder conditions.

Foget said placement must avoid driveways, consider ADA and crosswalk locations, and be coordinated with emergency routes; he noted the town's widest corridor (I Street) has intermittent gravel shoulders and could require wider work. He reviewed the commission's accident "heat map" (compiled from a multi‑year period and community outreach) and walked commissioners through alternatives such as painted fog lines, radar speed signs, curb bulb‑outs, street trees, mini‑roundabouts and center medians as lower‑cost or complementary measures.

Commissioners asked about required documentation and standards for traffic devices; Foget said sign placement and specifications follow the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) and that stop signs and changes to speed limits can require studies or adherence to MUTCD guidance. Several commissioners emphasized outreach to directly affected residents before installing any physical devices, noting past local complaints led to removal of a previously installed speed table in a neighboring jurisdiction.

The presentation left open next steps: staff will provide clearer cost estimates for potential I Street locations, identify funding sources, and include the options in a Council packet if the commission requests formal consideration. "We still have to do the outreach with the street," Foget said, noting resident acceptance is a key factor for success.