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Neighborhood Traffic Calming

In Summer 2022, the City of Cleveland launched a residential speed table pilot to inform a future citywide traffic calming policy. The City is also deploying radar speed feedback signs to raise awareness of speeding on residential streets.

Traffic calming refers to street design solutions that slow vehicle speeds, making streets safer for all road users.

Speed tables are vertical bumps in the road that cause drivers to slow down to drive over them. Speed tables are flat on the top and are not as abrupt as speed bumps, which are narrower and rounded.

Radar speed feedback signs are posted near speed limit signs and show the travel speeds of passing vehicles to increase drivers' attention and awareness.

Traffic Calming Goals

  • Increase quality of life for residents by creating safer, calmer streets.
  • Reduce the chance of serious injury or death if a crash does happen.
  • Expand local experience with street design interventions that reinforce lower speeds in residential areas.
  • Inform citywide traffic calming programs and guidance in alignment with the Vision Zero Cleveland initiative.

2022 Pilot Objectives

  • Use removable, modular rubber speed tables at nine locations across the city to document the impact of speed tables on vehicle speeds.
  • Investigate the feasibility, cost, and effectiveness of a City-installed asphalt speed hump at one location.
  • Address any service delivery challenges experienced by Public Safety, Public Works, or Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority.
  • Document the effectiveness of radar speed feedback signs in addressing residential speeding.
  • Collect resident feedback to inform a citywide approach.

Speed Table Pilot Evaluation

In May, 2023, the City completed its assessment of the 2022 speed table pilot. Across the ten test sites, average speeds fell by 7.8 miles per hour, and over 77 percent of survey respondents expressed support for an expanded speed table program in Cleveland. More information is available via the Cleveland Neighborhood Traffic Calming StoryMap, including traffic data and community comments collected to date, and the Speed Table Pilot Evaluation Report, which outlines key findings and recommendations for the next phase of speed table installations.

Based on the success of the pilot program, the City will use funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to support additional speed table installations on Cleveland’s residential streets beginning in Spring 2024. The City also continues gathering speed data to inform future program expansion.

Residents are encouraged to submit requests for speed data collection, as well as questions or comments about the speed table pilot evaluation, using the form below.

2022 Speed Table Pilot Details: Location Criteria

The 2022 neighborhood speed table pilot targeted local, primarily residential streets with medium traffic volumes and documented speeding issues. Eligibility was determined by:

  • Average daily traffic of 1,000 to 4,000 vehicles
  • Average speeds at or above the posted speed limit (>25 mph)
  • 85th percentile speeds at 6 mph or over the posted speed limit (31 mph)

Additional prioritization factors included documented crash history and presence of schools, parks, or other bicyclist/pedestrian demand generators.

Lower volume local streets in 7 pilot locations received 10.5' wide speed tables, with a target design speed of 15 miles per hour.Neighborhood collectors in two pilot locations (including one along a transit route) received 14' wide speed tables, with a target design speed of 20 miles per hour.

Image Credit: Traffic Logix

2022 Speed Table Pilot Locations

  • Edgewater Drive between W. 117th and W. 115th
  • West 101st Street between Madison Avenue and N Marginal Drive
  • West 56th Street between Denison Avenue and Eichorn Avenue
  • West 50th Street between Kouba Avenue and Clark Avenue
  • Bohn Road between East 40th Street and Kennard Road
  • Dickens Avenue between Larry Doby Way and East 116th Street
  • Corlett Avenue between East 120th Street and East 127th Street
  • East 147th Street between Bartlett Avenue and Glendale Avenue
  • Judson Drive between East 151st Street and East 160th Street
  • East 174th Street between Ozark Avenue and Nottingham Road

Pilot Timeline

  • June, 2022: Announce program to the public; place equipment orders.
  • August, 2022: Equipment is delivered and installed.
  • October, 2022: The City begins post-data collection, including speeds and traffic volumes, service provider input, and community input.
  • November, 2022: Snow plow operators are trained and winter data collection begins.
  • May, 2023: Pilot evaluation report released.