City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORARY MAYOR CITY COUNCIL DATE: JANUARY 27, 2026 FROM: PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WARD: 1
SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR SPEED HUMPS ON FIRST STREET BETWEEN MAIN STREET AND MULBERRY STREET ISSUE:
Consider implementation of speed humps on First Street between Main Street and Mulberry Street.
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council approve the proposed speed humps on First Street between Mulberry Street and Main Street in support of the Transportation Board’s recommendations.
BOARD RECOMMENDATION:
On December 3, 2025, the Transportation Board (Board) reviewed this matter; eight members were present. Staff recommended denial of the speed humps based on established criteria; however, the denial was appealed by residents on First Street. After a thorough discussion, the Board ultimately voted unanimously to recommend approval of the proposed speed humps along First Street between Mulberry Street and Main Street.
BACKGROUND:
The Neighborhood Traffic Management Program (NTMP) was designed to provide general guidelines for the assessment of traffic issues on local, collector, and arterial roadways throughout the City as well as outline various traffic mitigation measures which may serve as suitable solutions to demonstrated traffic issues.
As part of the Neighborhood Traffic Management Program (NTMP), the City re-instated formal Speed Hump Policy Guidelines and Procedures on May 7, 2024, to effectively address concerns related to speeding on residential streets. The goal of this policy is to enhance neighborhood safety by implementing traffic calming measures, such as speed humps, to reduce vehicle speeds on eligible residential streets. This policy aims to unite neighborhoods and identify appropriate measures to improve travel behavior for the benefit of affected communities. Speed humps are a potential secondary option for residential designated streets. A website outlining details of the Speed Hump Program has been developed – Speed Hump Program | Public Works A speed hump is an elongated mound in the roadway pavement surface extending across the traveled way designed perpendicular to the traffic flow. The purpose of a speed hump is to regulate traffic speeds by providing minor vertical deflection while driving through it. Speed humps are still considered experimental roadway features; therefore, additions, alterations, or removals of all speed humps may occur at any time.
DISCUSSION:
The City received a petition from the residents on First Street requesting speed humps to be installed on their street. The petition and roadway conditions on First Street between Mulberry Street and Main Street (Attachment 1 – Location Map) were reviewed for consistency with the City’s Speed Hump Program. The petition received indicates support by 17 of the 22 residents (77%) on First Street for speed humps, which meets the minimum requirement of 70% of the residents. There were no signatures from residents opposing the consideration of speed humps. Staff investigated speeds, volumes, and street geometrics and concluded that seven (7) out of eight (8) speed hump criteria were met. Based on the requirement to meet all criteria, First Street does not qualify for speed humps per the City approved policy. A summary of the findings is provided in Attachment 2 and staff have provided a summary of the findings to the First Street residents. However, a letter of appeal (Attachment 6) was submitted to city staff requesting for proposed speed humps to be reviewed by the Transportation Board.
Because the roadway does not meet the established criteria for speed hump installation, which would come at the estimated cost of $28,640, and because staff are not aware of mitigating circumstances that would merit overriding the established criteria, staff recommended denial of the appeal.
First Street is a two-way (one lane in each direction) residential street located between Mulberry Street to the east, and Main Street to the west. It is approximately 1,540 feet in length and 36 feet wide, which meets the minimum required length of ¼ mile (1,320) and does not exceed the maximum width of 40 feet. There are 22 homes on both sides of the street meeting the minimum requirement of sixteen (16) homes for a double-loaded street. Attachment 3 illustrates the potential speed hump locations along First Street. There are four (4) speed humps shown.
There were two speed surveys and traffic counts conducted on First Street as part of staff investigation. The radar surveys measured the 85th percentile speed in the range of 30 mph to 31 mph on First Street which does not meet the 37-mph minimum required by the city program. The corresponding 24-hour two-way volume counts indicated total daily volumes in the range of 1240 to 1279 vehicles per day, which meets the maximum threshold of 1999 vehicles per day. The estimated vertical grade is in the range of 1.0%-1.6% along First Street which is below the maximum eight (8) percent vertical grade threshold. Several photos of First Street are included in Attachment 7. Despite all the previously utilized speed management alternatives, vehicular speeding continues to persist with an 85th percentile speed in the range of 30MPH-31 MPH (5MPH-6 MPH over the prima facie speed limit of 25 MPH). While there were concerns about the placement of the traffic counting machines affecting the data, staff has confirmed the devices were installed on a street light pole on the south side of First Street between Lemon Street and Lime Street, which is 570 feet from the stop sign at First Street and Orange Street, which does not appear to impact the two traffic data sets conducted during typical weekdays.
The Riverside Fire Department has provided a general comment regarding proposed speed humps in consideration of potential impacts to emergency response times, if any. The RFD has requested the city to consider installing a Speed Bump (Type II) of Standard Plan 257 for new speed hump installations. The Type II Speed Bump has gaps in the middle to allow emergency vehicles to bypass speed humps on the roadway during an urgent emergency call. Maude Street between Lincoln Avenue and Marguerita Avenue currently has Type II Speed Bumps installed and there have not been any concerns with its utilization.
Staff has prepared an exhibit showing potential locations for the installation of speed humps. The locations are selected based on having adequate spacing between curves and intersections and adequate sight distance to allow for proper signing on each approach. Utility covers and driveways in the street are also avoided. Staff selected locations where signs may be placed on existing poles or streetlights to minimize the impacts of the signs on the neighborhood. A total of four (4) potential locations were found for speed humps. Each speed hump installed would potentially add an additional delay of 10 (ten) seconds to emergency vehicles. However, the usage of the Type II Speed Bumps would significantly minimize if not eliminate delays for emergency vehicles.
A review of our traffic accident records for the past three years on First Street from 2020 through 2025 shows eight reported traffic collisions. There was one unsafe speed related collision.
The City’s Speed Hump Policies, Guidelines, and Procedures are included in Attachment 5, and it illustrates the City’s Standard Plan Detail No. 251 – Speed Bump (Type II).
The Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) has also published some Guidelines for the Design and Application of Speed Humps. One of the guidelines worth mentioning from the ITE guidelines is the spacing for speed humps (see Attachment 5). The exhibit displays a properly designed speed hump spacing in the range of 150–500-foot space on each side prior to the speed hump.
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Engineering Speed Management Countermeasures offers an excellent resource for speed humps studies and resulting speed reduction effectiveness (Attachment 7). As documented, speed humps can be effective at reducing speeds in the range of 5-13 mph.
Conclusion:
First Street meets only seven (7) of the eight (8) mandatory criteria of the City’s adopted policy for speed humps. The observed 85th percentile speed was in the range of 30-31 mph not meeting the minimum speed of 37 mph. Based on the requirement to meet all 8 criteria, First Street does not qualify for speed humps. A summary of the findings is provided via Attachment 2 and staff have provided staff findings to the residents along First Street. However, a letter of appeal (Attachment 6) was submitted to city staff requesting for proposed speed humps to be reviewed by the Transportation Board. If speeds humps are approved, then there is a potential to add four (4) speed humps as shown in Attachment 3. If speed humps are not approved, then alternate traffic calming measures can be considered such as installation of posted speed limit signs, stop ahead signage & striping, centerline striping, and / or spot police enforcement.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total fiscal impact of the installation of speed humps, signage and pavement markings is estimated at $28,640. Funding is budgeted and available in the Measure A Fund, Speed Hump Traffic Calming Project account number 9927230-440313.
Prepared by: Philip Nitollama, City Traffic Engineer
Approved by: Nathan Mustafa, Interim Public Works Director Certified as to
availability of funds: Julie Nemes, Interim Finance Director Approved by: Kris Martinez, Assistant City Manager
Approved as to form: Rebecca McKee-Reimbold, Interim City Attorney Attachments:
Location Map
Speed Hump Criteria Checklist
Potential Locations
Traffic Count Data
Speed Hump Program Policies, Procedures, and Guidelines Appeal Letter
Transportation Board Meeting Minutes (12/3/2025)
Presentation
First Street Proposed Speed Humps ● Page 2