City of Cathedral City
SPEED HUMP POLICY
DOES THE CITY ALLOW SPEED HUMP INSTALLATIONS ?
In 1998 the City Council adopted the NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC CONTROL PROGRAM (Resolution No.98-47), with the intent to improve the livability and safety of residential neighborhoods. The primary intent was to mitigate concerns about speeding, non‐local cut‐through traffic volumes, truck traffic intrusion, demonstrated accident history, and other related problems. Speed Hump installations are one of several methods of Traffic Calming under the program.
WHAT IS A SPEED HUMP AND WHAT IS IT INTENDED TO DO?
In Cathedral City, a speed hump is typically a 12‐foot‐wide X 4‐inch‐high asphalt berm (or manufactured modular rubber humps) that are installed across the entire width of a neighborhood (residential) street with gaps for fire truck axial tracks (typically 98‐100 inches wide). They are not allowed on Major, Secondary or Collector streets, which have substantially heavier traffic volumes.
The object of the speed hump is to cause approaching motorists to slow their vehicle as they approach and pass over the hump. For this reason, they are more effective when used as groups spaced 350 ft. to 450 ft. apart. While speed reduction is the speed hump's main purpose, some traffic diversion often occurs when speed humps are installed on a neighborhood street.
Speed humps are typically placed on property lines, preferably under a streetlight (if any), and equidistance from intersection to intersection. Speed humps are never placed at driveways.
As the signing and pavement marking associated with a speed hump installation and the probable increase in noise levels as vehicles approach and pass over the speed humps can be objectionable to near‐by residents, an extensive notification and approval process is required with any application for speed hump installation.
WHERE CAN SPEED HUMPS BE INSTALLED ? WHERE ARE THEY PROHIBITED ? Speed humps can be installed:
On a local, residential street that is one lane in each direction, and does not exceed two lanes in width. The candidate street have curbs; and, Have a minimum unobstructed sight distance of 250 feet between an approaching vehicle and the advance speed hump signing. The sight distance requirement may be increased to 300 feet on streets with a grade of 3%; and, Have an uninterrupted length of 800 feet between any other traffic control device such as STOP or YIELD signs or a Traffic Signal.
Speed humps cannot be installed:
On Major, Secondary or Collector Streets, (those have substantial traffic volumes); On a local, residential street that is the primary access to a Fire Station or a Medical Facility served by ambulances or other paramedical type vehicles; or Cannot be an established SunLine Transit Agency bus route; or, Cannot be constructed on streets with a continuous grade in excess of 10%; or, Cannot be installed on a street scheduled for reconstruction or major maintenance in a two‐year period following application; or, Cannot be installed on streets that the Police Chief, or Fire Chief determines to be an unsafe route, for public safety purposes; or,
At any location deemed by the City Council to be not in the interest of the community or public safety.
WHAT ARE THE CRITERIA FOR INSTALLING SPEED HUMPS?
Request for speed humps may be approved if all of the following criteria are met:
A written request is submitted to the Director of Engineering/Public Works identifying the location of the problem, whether the problem is excessive speed and/or excessive traffic volume, including the home address, e‐mail address and telephone number of the initiating party;
All general criteria for speed hump placement are reviewed and met; a petition is prepared by the resident representative identifying the candidate streets(s), the address of each home with signature block for resident to sign (preferably the property owner, not renter), to indicate approval/disapproval of the speed hump installation, location of possible speed humps, and the removal procedure. The petition is circulated by the Applicant.
The returned petition must indicate:
1. All occupied homes have been contacted.
2. 66% of listed residents approve of a Study and possible speed hump installation a. These listed residents acknowledge that the speed hump installation, maintenance, and removal will be at the residents’ cost.
3. 100% of the residence adjacent to where the speed humps and signage would be placed approve of the installation.
A traffic study is conducted to determine if the following criteria for speed hump installation is met:
1. That the traffic volume on the street shall be between 250 and 750 vehicles on the residential street(s) proposed.
2. That the measured 85th percentile speed of traffic shall be equal to or greater than 35mph, or 70% of the measured speeds shall be in excess of 25 miles per hour.
3. The street geometry must provide hump locations at least 200 feet away from intersections and sharp horizontal curves. The minimum block length should be 500 feet.
4. The street shall not have a grade of more than 10%
5. The street must have raised curbs to prevent motorists from driving off the street to avoid the speed humps.
The Director of Engineering/Public Works will initiate a RADAR SURVEY using a device (that in stealth mode) does not display speeds, to measure speeds and traffic volumes 24/7 for a week, to determine the driving patterns of motorists on the requested residential street(s).
ARE THERE ALTERNATIVES TO SPEED HUMPS TO REDUCE EXCESSIVE SPEED ON NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS?
Yes, enhanced signing, speed feedback warning signs, concentrated Police enforcement of the 25 mph speed limit and use of radar/speed trailer are a few of the methodologies available to reduce speed on residential streets.
HOW DO I APPLY FOR A SPEED HUMP INSTALLATION OR LEARN MORE ABOUT THE DEVICE OR PROCEDURES?
Please contact Andres Perez – Assistant Engineer at the City’s Engineering Department at City Hall at: (760) 770‐0349, or email: [email protected]