City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORARY MAYOR CITY COUNCIL DATE: APRIL 14, 2026
FROM: PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WARDS: 4
SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR SPEED HUMPS ON LURIN AVENUE BETWEEN TAFT STREET AND WOOD ROAD ISSUE:
Consideration of installing speed humps on Lurin Avenue between Taft Street and Wood Road.
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council approve the proposed speed humps on Lurin Avenue between Taft Street and Wood Road in support of the Transportation Board’s recommendations.
BOARD RECOMMENDATION:
On March 4, 2026, the Transportation Board (Board) reviewed this matter; five members were present. Staff recommended approval of the speed humps based on meeting all established criteria. After a thorough discussion, the Board voted unanimously to recommend approval of the proposed speed humps along Lurin Avenue between Taft Street and Wood Road.
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 residentially 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 residents on Lurin Avenue requesting speed humps to be installed on their street. The petition and roadway conditions on Lurin Avenue between Taft Street and Wood Road (Attachment 1 – Location Map) were reviewed for consistency with the City’s Speed Hump Program. The petition indicates support from 11 of the 15 residents (73%) on Lurin Avenue 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. Comparing staff’s investigation of Lurin Avenue with the City’s guidelines for speed humps resulted in all 8 of the 8 criteria being met. Based on the requirement to meet all 8 criteria, Lurin Avenue does qualify for speed humps per the City approved policy. A summary of the findings is provided in Attachment 2, and staff have provided all this information to Lurin Avenue residents.
The roadway meets the established criteria for speed hump installation, which would come at the estimated cost of $20,000. Staff recommended approval due to meeting all technical criteria.
Lurin Avenue is a two-way (one lane in each direction) residential street located between Taft Street to the west and Wood Road to the east. It is approximately 2,570 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. Attachment 3 illustrates the potential speed hump locations along Lurin Avenue. There are five (5) speed humps shown.
There were two speed surveys and traffic counts conducted on Lurin Avenue as part of staff’s investigation. The radar surveys measured the 85th percentile speed in the range of 36 mph to 37 mph on Lurin Avenue, which does 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 857 to 862 vehicles per day, which meets the minimum and maximum threshold of vehicles per day. The vertical grade from Sagebrush to 420’ east of Obsidian exceeds the maximum, so there will be no speed humps in this area on Lurin Avenue. Several photos of Lurin Avenue 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 36 mph to 37 mph (11 mph to 12mph over the prima facie speed limit of 25 mph).
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 Hump (Type II) of Standard Plan 257 for new speed hump installations. The Type II Speed Hump has gaps in the middle to allow emergency vehicles to bypass speed humps on the roadway during an urgent emergency call. Golden Avenue between Pierce Street and Cypress Avenue currently has Type II Speed Humps 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 five (5) potential locations were found for speed humps. Each speed hump installed would potentially add an additional delay of (ten) 10 seconds to emergency vehicles. However, the usage of the Type II Speed Humps would significantly minimize, if not eliminate, delays for emergency vehicles.
A review of our traffic accident records for the past five years on Lurin Avenue from 2020 through 2025 shows three reported traffic collisions. There were no speed related collisions.
The City’s Speed Hump Policies, Guidelines, and Procedures are included in Attachment 5. Attachment 7 illustrates the City’s Standard Plan Detail No. 251 – Speed Hump (Type II).
The Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) has published guidelines for the design and application of speed humps. These guidelines recommend spacing between speed humps in the range of 150–500 feet (see Attachment 5) . The exhibit illustrates this recommended spacing.
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 mph to 13 mph.
CONCLUSION:
Lurin Avenue meets all eight (8) criteria in the City’s adopted policy for speed humps. Based on the requirement to meet all eight (8) criteria, Lurin Avenue qualifies for speed humps per the City-approved policy. A summary of the findings is provided in Attachment 2, and staff have provided this information to the residents along Lurin Avenue.
If speeds humps are approved, up to five (5) speed humps may be installed as shown in Attachment 3. If speed humps are not approved, alternate traffic calming measures may be considered, including the installation of posted speed limit signs, “Stop Ahead” signage & striping, centerline striping, and/or targeted police enforcement.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Upon City Council approval, the fiscal impact is estimated to be $20,000. This includes the cost of installing the speed humps, signage and pavement markings. Funding is budgeted and available in the Measure A Fund, Speed Hump Traffic Calming Program account number 9927230-440313, to cover this cost, pending outcomes of other speed hump requests.
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 Transportation Board Meeting Minutes
Presentation
Lurin Avenue Proposed Speed Humps ● Page 2