Speed Humps Policies, Guidelines, And Procedures -- City of Hermosa Beach, CA

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Speed Humps Policies, Guidelines, And Procedures

April 2003

SPEED HUMP INSTALLATION POLICY

BACKGROUND

Speed humps (undulations) are among an array of available and accepted traffic calming devices suitable for installation on residential streets in the City. The installation of speed humps has been shown in some circumstances to slow traffic, but is not a guarantee that the street is a safe place for children to play. Streets exist primarily for the passage of motor vehicles; hence residents, both adults and children, should exercise due care when in the roadway.

Installation of speed humps on streets other than local residential streets could have potentially severe traffic safety consequences, almost certainly affect emergency services and other service delivery activities, and likely create the diversion of large amounts of through traffic onto local residential streets, which were not intended for that purpose. Therefore, speed humps will not normally be considered for streets that are classified as collector streets or higher in the Circulation Element of the City's General Plan, or which are determined to provide a transportation service to the community beyond that of simply providing access to the immediate abutting residences.

The purpose of this policy is to establish the circumstances and criteria under which speed humps will be considered for installation on a residential street.

MINIMUM CRITERIA

The following minimum criteria shall govern installation of speed humps in the City:

Speed humps will be considered only after other less intrusive traffic calming measures have been rejected as infeasible or ineffective.
Speed humps will be available only on residential streets carrying fewer than 2,500 vehicles per day.
Speed humps will be available only on streets that have a posted speed limit of 25 mph as determined in accordance with State Law, and no more than one traffic lane in each direction.
Speed humps will not be installed on any street designated as a truck route or a transit route.
Speed humps will not be installed on a portion of any street with a grade in excess of eight percent (8%).
Speed humps will not be installed on any street as to which there is, in the judgment of the Public Works Department, inadequate vertical and horizontal alignment and sight distances to allow for safe installation.
Speed humps will not be installed on any street that is a primary access route for emergency vehicles and would cause, in the judgment of the City's emergency response providers, unacceptable delay in response time to emergencies.

As described in the accompanying Speed Hump Installation Procedures, speed humps will only be installed if 100% of the owners of residences immediately adjacent to the proposed speed humps (one vote per ownership) and 67% of the occupants of residences in the neighborhood signing a petition (one vote per dwelling unit) request the speed humps.

CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS

The installation of speed humps and associated traffic control devices shall conform to design standards as shown in Attachments 2 and 3.

Speed humps should be installed on logical segments of local residential streets, separated from each other by approximately 300 feet. Logical segments are considered to be segments between arterial streets or between natural discontinuities, such as jogs in the street. Speed humps will not normally be installed in isolated blocks along a continuous street, or on relatively short (less than 800 feet) cul-de-sac-streets.

NEIGHBORHOOD - FUNDED INSTALLATION

The Public Works Department will process requests for speed hump installation in the order received. There is no guaranty that there is sufficient money budgeted for all of the speed hump requests that are processed and approved. Approved projects will be funded in the order received when funding becomes available, unless the City Council determines that conditions on a particular street, as demonstrated by speed or accident statistics, require that the street be given greater priority.

Petitioners of approved but un-funded locations may choose to retain a contractor and privately finance the speed hump installation, pursuant to City requirements and specifications. Once a location has been approved, and only after the petitioners have committed in writing to privately fund the installation, the City will prepare a drawing indicating the number and locations of humps and warning signs. Construction may begin immediately after the City's written approval has been received

SPEED HUMP INSTALLATION PROCEDURES

APPLICATION

The City Council's adopted policies and procedures for the installation of speed humps will be made available to all interested parties.

A representative of a local residential street who believes the residents on his or her street will support the installation of speed humps, may submit a request in writing to the Public Works Department. The Public Works Department will consult with the Police and Fire Departments in making a determination as to whether the street in question is eligible for further consideration for the installation of speed humps based on the criteria contained in the above speed hump policy.

DETERMINATION OF ELIGIBILITY

Upon determination by the Public Works Department that a street is not eligible for speed humps, the representative(s) of the street will be notified in writing of the reason why the street is not eligible. The representative(s) of the street will have fifteen (15) days to appeal the decision to the Public Works Commission. Appeals must be timely delivered in writing to the City Clerk and set forth the basis for the appeal. The Public Works Commission will consider the appellants' appeal in light of the speed hump policy, and either affirm, reverse or modify the Department's decision. A further appeal may be taken from the Commission to the City Council, in accordance with the same time and procedural requirements as set forth above. The decision of the City Council shall be final.

Upon determination that a street is eligible for further consideration, the representative of the street will be advised to submit a petition (forms provided by the City) from owners of 100% of the residences immediately adjacent to the proposed speed humps (See Attachment 4) and a substantial majority (67%) of the occupants of the residences in the neighborhood requesting the speed humps. Only one vote will be counted per ownership and per dwelling unit.

SUBMISSION OF PETITION

The sponsor of the petition shall contact every resident of the abutting properties on the subject street. If a resident is against the speed humps, the word "opposed" will be noted on the petition signature space. If the sponsor is unable to contact a resident, "no contact" will be noted on the petition signature space with the days and times that contact was attempted. The sponsor must make at least two (2) attempts on separate days to contact a resident. See Attachment 1.

VERIFICATION AND PROCESSING OF PETITION

Upon receipt of a complete petition containing the requisite number of signatures, the proposal will be scheduled for a hearing before the Public Works Commission, which will decide whether or not to recommend installation of speed humps. The Commission's recommendation will be forwarded to the City Council. The decision of the City Council shall be final.

FUNDING AND PRIORITY RANKING

Speed hump requests will be funded in the order received and approved, unless the City Council determines that conditions on a particular street, as demonstrated by speed or accident statistics, require greater priority. There is no guarantee that public funding will be available. Approved projects may be privately funded.

The City reserves the right to install speed humps without a resident petition, as circumstances require.

REMOVAL OF SPEED HUMPS

Speed humps installed upon resident petition pursuant to this policy may be removed either by the City upon a determination that the removal is required for public safety reasons, or by petition of a substantial majority (67% or more) of occupants of residences within the same geographic area as petitioned for the humps, requesting the removal. If removal is by petition, the residents shall pay the cost of removal, which sum shall be deposited with the City prior to the removal.