1. City Council Meeting May 23, 2011
Recommended Revisions to the Current Speed Hump Policies and Procedures
City Council Meeting
May 23, 2011

2. Speed Hump Policy & Procedures
Brief history of the City’s Speed Hump Policies
Three qualification issues raised by City Council:
Length
Volume
Street Classification
Effects of Policy Change

3. History of Speed Humps
The City of Pasadena considered speed humps in the early 1980’s
A comprehensive study of the devices determined that they were appropriate for reducing traffic speed on certain streets when properly installed.
The city developed policies and procedures for the installation of speed humps based on proper engineering designs, standard guidelines, and practice of communities in California.
The policies and procedures were adopted by City Council in 1984.

4. 1984 Speed Hump Policy Policies & Procedures adopted in 1984 Volume
Lower limit: 1,000 vehicles per day
Upper limit: 3,000 vehicles per day
Length
no speed humps on cul-de-sacs less than 800 feet
Classification
Local residential streets
Vote
65% or more of abutting residents

5. 2004 Speed Hump Policy Policies & Procedures amended in 2004 Volume
Lower limit: 1,000 vehicles per day
Upper limit: 4,000 vehicles per day
Length
Lower limit: 1,200 feet
Classification
Local residential streets
Vote
67% or more of abutting residents

6. Three qualification issues
Segment Length
Traffic Volume
Street Classification

7. Segment Length

8. Segment Length
In 2004, the segment minimum length criteria was modified to 1,200 feet
Speed humps to be installed on at least two blocks
Speed humps should not be installed in isolated blocks along a continuous street
Distance is consistent with the criteria in the City’s Residential Stop Sign Policy

9. Segment Length
2011 ITE Guidelines for the Design and Application of Speed Humps and Speed Tables:
Spacing
200 feet from stop sign
260 feet apart generally will result in an 85th-percentile operating speed of 25 mph on a street segment
Spacing guidelines results in two speed humps on a block that is nominally 600 ft long

10. Layout of Typical Speed Humps
250’
260’
250’
STOP
STOP
STOP
STOP
80’
170’
260’
170’
80’
600’
NOT TO SCALE

11. Recommendation: Minimum Segment Length
Staff recommends revising the minimum segment length from 1,200 feet to 600 feet.
Close gaps along local street corridors that do not have speed humps.
These street segments are shorter than 1,200 feet but have documented speeding issues.
Most residential blocks within the city are approximately 600 feet or longer.
Installation still subject to satisfying other criteria

12. Traffic Volume Thresholds

13. Traffic Volume
In 2004, the traffic volume upper limit was changed from 3,000 to 4,000 vehicles per day
3,000 vpd was based on previous ITE guidelines
TAC’s recommended increasing the higher volume threshold to account for nominal growth in traffic volumes as a result of regional growth trends.
The lower volume threshold was maintained at 1,000 vehicles per day
Limit application of speed humps to streets that are impacted by traffic volumes beyond what might be expected to be generated by the residents on a local street.

14. Recommendation: Traffic Volume Thresholds
Staff recommends maintaining current volume thresholds
Consistent with engineering practices of surrounding communities
Consistent with current Mobility Element of General Plan
Revisit when Mobility Element Update is adopted

15. Street Classification

16. Street Classification
Speed humps are only considered for installation on streets classified as Local residential in the City’s General Plan.
The City’s primary emergency response routes focus on Collectors and Arterials
Inter-neighborhood and citywide connectivity is accomplished on Collectors and Arterials
Certain streets in the city mirror the design of a Local residential streets but are classified as Collectors or Arterials

17. Context-Based Street Classification System
Under current update of General Plan Mobility Element there is alternate system of street classification that is based on both context and function.
Alternate system better reflects the varying nature of Collector streets and differentiates Collectors that are similar to Locals from those that are more regional in function/context
Under the proposed Context-Based Street Classification System, streets classified as Connector-Neighborhood and below would be suitable for consideration for speed humps if other criteria are met.

18. Recommendation: Street Classification
Absent a change in the street classification policy, staff recommends retaining the restrictions of speed humps on arterial and collector streets.
Staff recommends revisiting the street classification criteria for speed humps should the proposed street classification system be adopted as part of the Mobility Element Update

19. Effects of Policy Change
Cost Impact Analysis
Each speed hump costs approximately $2,000 to install.
Maintenance to restripe costs approximately $200 per speed hump.
City installs approximately 10 speed humps per year.
Staff anticipates an increase in the amount of speed hump installations per year if minimum segment length criterion is lowered to 600 feet

20. Effects of Policy Change
More street segments will qualify; however these streets will still need to meet the other criteria and 67% of abutting residents must be in favor of the installation
Currently, all speed hump installations are funded through the Neighborhood Traffic Management Program (NTMP) in the Capital Improvement Program (Project 75903).
Any increase in the number of speed hump installations would have a negative fiscal impact on funds available to implement other NTMP projects.

21. Questions or Comments?