Northwest Los Angeles Heights Neighbors

Speed Hump Program and Traffic Calming

Speed Hump Program and Traffic Calming

The City of San Antonio’s goal is to improve mobility safety across all modes of travel in a way that fits the neighborhood environment through retrofitting residential streets with “traffic calming” features and other devices and treatments.

“Traffic Calming” refers to modifying streets in such a manner as to reduce the negative effects of cut-through and/or high speed traffic while enhancing the safety for pedestrians and bicyclists alike. Such efforts are typically aimed at reducing vehicle speeds and/or the volume of non-local traffic in residential areas.

Various treatments can be applied to address specific problems. Speeding problems can be addressed by changing vertical alignment or horizontal alignments. Speed humps, traffic circles, median islands, and chokers may effectively reduce operating speeds. Cut-through traffic problems can be addressed by blocking certain movements that divert traffic to streets designed to handle the higher volumes. Street closures and diverters may help reduce or eliminate cut-through traffic. Visual Obstructions can be addressed by extending curbs in certain areas to provide better visibility while also slowing through speeds.

Traffic calming features are only appropriate on two-lane, residential “local” and “collector” streets. With the exception of median barriers, traffic calming features may not be used on major arterials as designated in the Major Thoroughfare Plan.

Speed Humps

Speed humps have been the “canned” solution for traffic calming in San Antonio for some time. The City of San Antonio and many other communities have determined that speed humps are an effective and appropriate roadway feature for safely reducing vehicle speeds on certain types of streets. The usual installation provides two speed humps that are a few hundred feet apart, thereby creating a zone in which vehicle operating speeds are in an acceptable range.



Emergency Services:

Because speed humps have a negative effect on Fire and Emergency Medical Services vehicles, care must be exercised in not locating speed humps on routes where there is relatively frequent use by such vehicles.

Request Speed Humps:

If you wish to request a speed hump study be performed on your street please download the form below and mail it back to us or call 311 to have the City mail a form to you. The form will indicate some of the details of your request and a preliminary show of support from your neighbors. Once the form has been completed and returned to the City, staff will analyze the street to determine its eligibility status. If it is eligible, it will be considered, along with many others, for funding in the upcoming fiscal year.

If you would like additional information relating to the whole process in order to have speed humps installed on your street, please review the following document.

Speed Hump Removal:

Speed humps may be removed at the request of 67 percent of the residents on the street. To obtain additional information you can call (210) 207-2075
For customer service, please call 311.

Links

Speed Hump policy
Final Canvassing Form
Speed Hump Request Form