Have you ever questioned why there are speed bumps and small lanes on your neighborhood streets? That’s all part of a strategy known as traffic calming – designed to make roads safer and more livable for everyone. 

 

Traffic calming solutions have the potential to significantly enhance the driving experience for all users, including cyclists, pedestrians, and drivers. According to research, traffic calming may lower vehicle speeds by up to 25% and reduce accidents in communities by 15–40%. 

 

Through the promotion of safer driving practices and enhanced street accessibility generally, these actions not only promote safety but also create a more walkable, community-friendly atmosphere. 

 

So, what is the process of traffic calming, and why is it growing more popular in cities throughout the world?

The Concept Behind Traffic Calming

Traffic calming refers to a set of design interventions aimed at making streets safer for everyone, not just vehicles. It’s based on the concept that streets should serve multiple purposes beyond just moving cars as quickly as possible. 

 

The goal is to reduce speeding and other dangerous driving behaviors, creating a more balanced environment where cars, pedestrians, and cyclists share the road more equitably.

The strategies used in traffic calming (such as speed humps, narrowed lanes, and curb extensions) are designed to slow traffic or even divert it, but not ban it completely. Traffic calming reduces the likelihood of serious injuries and fatalities in the case of an accident by lowering vehicle speeds. 

In addition to enhancing road safety, these interventions can also improve the quality of life in a neighborhood. Some good traffic calming examples include adding landscaping, seating, and other amenities that can break up the monotony of long streets, reduce air pollution, and encourage more social interaction in public spaces.

These low-cost and easy-to-install measures have gained popularity within the tactical urbanism movement, which encourages temporary, citizen-led projects to reimagine public spaces. 

Traffic calming is all about shifting priorities: placing human safety and accessibility above the convenience of fast-moving vehicles. This mental shift redefines streets as spaces for all forms of transportation, not just cars, making communities safer, more inclusive, and more livable.

Is Traffic Calming Necessary?

As road safety concerns increase globally, the necessity for traffic calming measures has grown more pressing. 

Pedestrians and cyclists are at higher risk due to increasing vehicle speeds and crowded metropolitan locations. Making roads safer for all users is important, as seen by the rise in accidents and fatalities that many cities are experiencing.

The increasing number of pedestrian-related events is a wake-up call in both urban and suburban locations. In order to lower these dangers, traffic-calming techniques like speed bumps, roundabouts, and elevated crosswalks are crucial. 

In the end, these interventions improve community quality of life and save lives by slowing down cars, promoting safer driving practices, and making the area more pedestrian-friendly.

Benefits of Traffic Calming

The primary benefit of traffic calming is road safety. We improve road safety by reducing vehicle speeds, which directly impact the likelihood and severity of crashes. 

Speed plays a big role, especially for vulnerable road users like pedestrians and cyclists. According to the AAA Foundation, pedestrians are five times more likely to die when struck by a vehicle traveling at 40 mph compared to one at 20 mph. 

The increase in pedestrian deaths, up by over 80% since 2009, highlights the urgency of slowing traffic, particularly in regions with car-centric development.

But it’s not just pedestrians at risk. Cycling fatalities have surged by 55% since 2010, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), and are expected to rise further as cycling becomes more popular post-pandemic. 

Without proper cycling infrastructure and speed controls, both pedestrians and cyclists face heightened risks on the road.

But this is not the only benefit of traffic calming. Traffic calming can also have broader benefits, such as reducing vehicle throughput. While this may raise concerns about congestion, evidence suggests that slower speeds and reduced vehicle numbers do not necessarily lead to more traffic. 

Everyone’s safety on the roads can be achieved by communities implementing efficient traffic calming measures without causing major disruptions to commute times, provided they have the necessary planning and data.

Traffic Calming Strategies for Safer Streets

Different traffic calming techniques may be evaluated and put into place with the assistance of traffic engineers and community engagement. Since no one solution works in every circumstance, a customized strategy is often required. 

These are a few successful traffic-calming techniques, along with suggestions for improving them with other safety equipment such as radar speed signs or rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFBs):

1. Sidewalk Extensions (Bulbs, Chokers, Neckdowns)

Curb extensions narrow the road at key areas, like intersections and mid-block crossings, which shortens the distance pedestrians need to cross. This design also encourages drivers to slow down as they navigate through narrower lanes. 

Visibility can be improved further by installing RRFBs or circular beacons, drawing attention to pedestrians and ensuring safer crossings.

2. Roundabouts and Traffic Circles

Replacing traditional intersections with roundabouts reduces conflict points and eliminates the need for traffic lights, naturally slowing drivers as they approach. Roundabouts also facilitate smoother traffic flow. 

Crosswalks can be included in the roundabout at each point of entry and departure, and RRFBs or circular beacons can be installed to increase visibility and make pedestrian crossings safer.

3. Street Narrowing

Narrower streets can slow traffic by creating a more confined driving space. Streets can be redesigned to include bus lanes, bike lanes, or wider sidewalks, and vertical elements such as trees or planters can visually reinforce the need for slower speeds. 

Installing radar speed signs along these narrower roads helps drivers stay aware of their speed, further contributing to safer driving.

4. Speed Humps and Speed Tables

Speed humps, and their flatter cousins, speed tables, are effective in slowing traffic in school zones, residential areas, or near parks. They work by forcing drivers to reduce their speed to avoid discomfort while driving. 

Speed restriction signs and flashing beacons can be placed close by to increase their efficacy and assure that drivers are aware of the existence of these calming devices well in advance.

5. Chicanes

Chicanes are alternating curb extensions or build-outs that create a winding path for vehicles to follow, slowing them down by disrupting a straight line of travel. These serpentine-like street designs force drivers to navigate more cautiously. 

Additional traffic signs or radar speed signs can be used to reinforce the need to maintain lower speeds through these sections of the road.

6. Raised Crosswalks

Similar to speed humps but designed specifically for pedestrian safety, raised crosswalks elevate the road surface at pedestrian crossings. This forces drivers to slow down and simultaneously improves pedestrian visibility. 

Raised crosswalks, combined with RRFBs or circular beacons, enhance pedestrian safety by making crossing points more prominent and visible.

7. Road Diets

A road diet reduces the number of travel lanes, often converting a four-lane road into a two-lane road with a center-turning lane. This change decreases vehicle speeds and provides room for bike lanes or wider sidewalks. 

Radar speed signs can be placed along these modified roads to encourage compliance with the new layout and speed limits.

Making Streets Safer and More Livable

Communities must be made safer, more accessible, and livelier through traffic calming. Neighborhoods become more pedestrian-friendly and the dangers presented by fast cars are greatly decreased by putting these methods into practice.

The mission of Phil Myrick is to assist localities in developing and putting into practice traffic calming strategies that enhance public safety while simultaneously fostering lively areas.

We make streets safer and more pleasurable for everyone by bringing destinations, districts, and mixed-use spaces to life with our planning and development skills. 

Do you want your streets to be more lively and safer? Reach out to us and let’s build a better community together!