Get Started Studio | Residential Street Traffic Calming

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Photo: This residential street has a "wide open" look that sends the message to the motorist that it's okay to go fast; the intersection has been the scene of a number of accidents.

Description of Problem: A residential group in a small (70,000 pop.) Western community contacted us with this problem:

"We are concerned about traffic on our residential street – not so much volume but more the speed, particularly with the growing number of children living on the street. The influx of families has been a welcome change, bringing new life to our neighborhood. We've gone from having a mainly adult population to one with kids everywhere! We want to create a more kid-friendly and bicycle/pededestrian-friendly street. And with important destinations around the neighborhood, we want to encourage folks to walk and bike more.

As the street has developed, we've been able to get sidewalks, curbs, and gutters where new homes have gone in. However, we have a patchwork sidewalk network, where some sidewalks and street trees were put in around 1910, but some blocks were not developed with the same amount of care. One block on the north side of our street has no sidewalk and people park wherever they please (photo above).

Plus, we've had several car crashes at the intersection shown. There are no traffic controls at the intersection. Uncontrolled intersections are common in our neighborhood, so we're not unique in that sense, but this one seems worse than most. We'd like to see some sort of traffic control at this intersection. Some residents have suggested a stop sign, but other residents are against this.

Problem Statement: How can traffic speeds be controlled in on a residential street with lots of children? Is a stop sign the best solution?

Residential Street Traffic Calming Ideas

Photo: Installing curbs and gutters, along with parallel parking, will narrow the roadway and encourage motorists to drive more slowly.

Basically, you need to make this stretch of street seem less wide open, add in the missing streetscape elements, and slow down traffic. Many residential streets are long and straight and suffer from excessive width; many look like airport runways or drag strips. As a result, drivers tend to speed up on such streets, whether they intend to or not.

With your grid network, diverting traffic would only put it on someone else's street, so that probably wouldn't be appropriate – particularly since speed (not volume) is the problem. Diverting traffic (e.g., by blocking off certain streets) would require a more neighborhood-wide approach to solve problems everywhere in the area.

Complete the Streetscape

First, add curb, gutter and sidewalk where missing (left side of photo). This helps make the street look complete AND it provides the boundaries for the intersection. In addition, cars currently parked off the street and perpendicular to the roadway will then be parked parallel next to the curb.

Next, make sure that when new building happens in the neighborhood, sidewalk requirements are met. There's no better time to do sidewalks, curbs, and gutters. The future residents won't be in place, the costs can be included in the total package, and no one will have planted trees or built fences on the public right-of-way. Go for sidewalks at least 5 feet wide and wide planting strips (buffer zones) to match the current curb lines and property lines.

Even if new development is not on the horizon, incentives (e.g., low- or zero-interest loans, subsidized construction, etc.) can help convince current residents to participate. Check out what your city has to offer. In some neighborhoods, residents get together and negotiate a package deal with a contractor to get their sidewalks done all at once. This can assure uniformity and help get a good price.

New street elements on this block should line up with those on adjacent blocks. The street has a tradition of "boulevard sidewalks," with planted areas with trees between the curbs and the sidewalks. This is a good pattern to continue with the new construction. Also, work to include street trees in the plan. Check with your city's "urban forester" or parks department about the possibility of getting free (or inexpensive) street trees. Another element that can help with the feel of the street is to replace the tall sodium vapor street lights with shorter ones more in keeping with a pedestrian environment.

Photo: A mini-traffic circle keeps the street from looking as long and straight to the driver. It also serves the purpose of an intersection control device without erecting a stop sign.

Eliminating the "Wide Open Feeling"
Two possible approaches could help with this: a mini-traffic circle and curb extensions. Either would work, but in slightly different ways. A mini circle – particularly if it includes a tree – gives drivers something to focus on in the near distance. On the other hand, curb extensions "neck down" the street at intersections; they have an advantage of keeping people from parking right next to the intersection (or in the crosswalk!)

Mini-traffic circle (Typical costs: $5,000-10,000)
Here's an approach that is very effective at slowing traffic; numerous communities have found they can significantly reduce the number of intersection crashes by using mini-traffic circles. The central island helps get everyone going the same way, eliminating most turning and crossing conflicts. In addition, they slow traffic to a more pedestrian-friendly speed, reducing the chances that a motorist will kill a young bicyclist or walker.

Curb extensions (Typical costs: $10,000-20,000, depending on drainage, etc.)
These can also slow traffic (especially when combined with on-street parking) but not to the same level as the traffic circle. And, as the photo below shows, the effect may not be as dramatic if you don't have much on-street parking. Looking down Defoe Street, it's clear that you don't have many parked cars lining the streets. However, curb extensions reduce the roadway width that pedestrians have to cross. And, as mentioned above, they keep parking back from the intersection.

Photo: Curb extensions narrow the roadway and discourage parking at the intersection; they also reduce the width of the roadway.

Process Ideas
Ask your city's public works director or traffic engineer what options are available for fixing neighborhood street problems. Many cities have established programs with line item budgets. If your city has such a program, find out how to get your project included. You may have to conduct a local survey of residents, promise to provide plantings for traffic circles, and so on. Get involved, find out what the deadlines are and work with the city's process to get your project built.

In some instances, cities require residents to pay for traffic calming projects. They do this through a "special improvement district," for instance. If this is the case in your city, make sure everyone in your group (and on the block) knows what it will cost.

- Making Streets That Work; Seattle Engineering Dept. | Online Resource

- Portland Pedestrian Design Guide; Portland (OR) Office of Transportation | PDF Format

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