Biking and Walking - Slowing Traffic

Slowing Traffic | Sidewalks | Crosswalks | Bike Routes

Reduce and Slow Motorized Traffic
The number one thing you must accomplish to win safe neighborhood streets is to reduce the amount of motorized traffic, and slow the speed of the remaining traffic. This is often referred to as "traffic calming." There are a number of techniques to slow, or "calm," the traffic moving through your neighborhood. And once motorists understand that they can't race through your neighborhood, they'll stick to the main roads (the arterials) so they can make better time. So traffic calming can be used as a tool to both slow speeds and reduce traffic on neighborhood streets.

Traffic Calming Techniques
There are a number of techniques for slowing traffic. Many people immediately think of speed humps; others quickly decide that the best remedy would be to have a stop sign installed. In some cases, a stop sign may be the correct measure, but in many cases, it's a mistake. If your street "sends the message" that it's okay to drive fast in the area, then a stop sign is more likely to produce traffic that goes through the stop signs without really stopping.

Here are several types of traffic calming measures that may help solve problems in your neighborhood.

- Speed tables
- Lane narrowing
- Chicanes
- Curb Bulbs and Extensions
- Chokers
- Mini-traffic circles

Rather than deciding on which traffic calming method you would like to see in your neighborhood, get an idea of the range of techniques that are available. Then visit with your bike/ped coordinator, your city-council representative, and your public works department officials to discuss what will work best in your neighborhood.

Resources
For more information about traffic calming, download a copy of The Streets Are For People, by the Transportation Alliance. This booklet, while designed for use in New York City, contains an excellent description of the various types of traffic calming techniques

Also take a look at Intrigue & Uncertainty, by David Engwicht of Australia's Creative Communities International. In this e-booklet (linked below), Mr. Engwicht poses various ways to slow traffic on neighborhood streets without resorting to physical traffic-calming devices.

Finally, the Tools section of the Federal Highway Administration's 2002 Pedestrian Facilities User Guide has excellent descriptions of the various types of traffic calming methods you might choose for your neighborhood.

- The Streets Are For People, by the Transportation Alliance | PDF File
1.68 MB
- Intrigue & Uncertainty; Towards New Traffic-Taming Tools | PDF File
760K
- Traffic Calming section of the Pedestrian User's Guide, FHWA 2002 | PDF File 200K

Note: You'll need Adobe Acrobat Reader in order to read the items listed above. If you don't have Acrobat Reader already installed on your computer, you can get it here.