Traffic Calming: The Fast Track to Safety
“Traffic calming” means reducing vehicle speeds to contribute to safety, active transportation, and livability goals. There are many types of projects that calm traffic, and many of the FHWA Proven Safety Countermeasures have speed reduction benefits. Many communities in Ohio and the Midwest are adopting comprehensive traffic calming programs to respond to resident concerns and choose appropriate countermeasures using pilot programs. A little bit of speed reduction goes a long way in towards reducing the severity of crashes.
 The likelihood of a fatality or serious injury increases dramatically as vehicle speeds increase. (Source: ODOT Multimodal Design Guide)
In this GroundWork issue you will learn about how several Ohio cities are testing traffic calming approaches and reducing speeds on their streets.
Cleveland – Speed Tables
Cleveland installed ten speed tables on a temporary basis in summer 2022 as part of its Vision Zero initiative, and the results are in! After the speed tables were installed, average speeds dropped by 7.8 miles per hour, and 77 percent of public survey respondents want to see even more speed tables installed. The City is planning to expand the program to other locations this Spring.
See the City’s traffic calming page for more info and check out the Speed Table Pilot Evaluation Report.
 Cleveland used yard signs with QR codes to gather feedback on their speed table pilot. (Image Sources: City of Cleveland)
Cincinnati’s traffic calming program is also tied to its Vision Zero work. There are a wide range of countermeasures being used throughout the City. After a successful pilot study, 29 more sets of concrete speed cushions are scheduled for installation this year. Hardened centerlines were installed at eleven intersections, and the data speaks for itself: at one intersection, data showed that 20 percent of vehicles cross over the centerline when completing a turn. After the hardened centerline was installed, less than one percent of vehicles crossed the centerline. Across all intersections with hardened centerlines, speeds dropped by six to fourteen percent!
 Cincinnati has installed hardened centerlines at eleven locations and measuring the impact on speed and safety. (Image Source: City of Cincinnati)
 The City’s speed cushion demonstration projects were successful at reducing speeds. (Image Source: City of Cincinnati)
Newark’s mini roundabouts were installed as part of a streetscape and downtown revitalization project, but they also have big safety and traffic calming benefits. At three mini-roundabout locations, injury crashes dropped by 100 percent after the roundabouts were installed, and all crashes decreased by 58 percent. Take a look at this video showing the most recent roundabout in action. The Licking County Area Transportation Study (LCATS) was recently awarded a Safe Streets For All (SS4A) grant to study additional ways to improve safety. Could we be seeing more roundabouts in Licking County in the future?
For more information on traffic calming, consider the below resources:
 Announcements
- Applications are open for US Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) funding opportunity. Grants for planning and demonstration projects are due April 4, May 16, or August 29; while implementation grant applications are due May 16. Find out more and apply.
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ODOT’s Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) now has a Linkedin page with information on upcoming webinars, eLearning opportunities, classroom-based courses/workshops, technical assistance resources, LTAP updates and more.
- Winter is almost over, but it’s not too early to start planning ahead - if you missed our webinar on Snow Removal for Walking and Biking, check out the recording and the new toolkit.
- The League of American Bicyclists is offering a League Certified Instructor Seminar in Cleveland, April 19-21. Register here. The League is also offering Equity Scholarships for Black, Indigenous and people of color to attend an LCI seminar, apply here.
- The Ohio Transportation Engineering Conference (OTEC) is accepting presentation proposals through Friday, April 5. This year's theme is "Up Next: Harnessing Innovation to Deliver Safe, Practical Solutions". Submit your proposal here.
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