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Report presented on speed bumps
| Article published on Friday, Nov. 27, 2009 |
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| Photo by ALEXANDRA CALDWELL |
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| There are four speed humps on Bass Boulevard to curb traffic problems, although city officials say they displace the problems onto neighboring streets. |
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DUNEDIN – The Dunedin City Commission unanimously voted on Nov. 19 to put a moratorium on speed bump applications until the Sheriff’s Office releases its study on traffic control.
The commission listened to a report from Doug Hutchens, director of public works and utilities, and Joan Rice, transportation and traffic engineer, on the current speed bump program and discovered that the commission’s initial good intentions were having unexpected consequences.
Hutchens and Rice studied nine neighborhoods with existing speed humps and discovered that while it curbed traffic problems for the neighborhood, in all but two instances, it displaced traffic problems to neighboring streets. In a memo to the commission there also was listed nine other locations where speed bumps are proposed, and five of those locations are expected to displace the problems onto other streets.
The commission asked how the fire department feels about speed bumps, and a representative said it dislikes them because the bumps adds an additional 30 seconds onto response times, are hard on the trucks and could damage their vehicles and equipment. He said the same goes for ambulances, and the bumps jar already injured people and hamper paramedics’ ability to give the patient care.
Numerous residents spoke about traffic problems on their streets and many were angry about people speeding down streets where many children live. Others said the problem was made worse when nearby streets got speed bumps.
The commission apologized to residents for the problems and said their voices are heard and they will try to fix the problems as soon as they can in a way that will help the entire area. Commissioner Julie Scales said that speed bumps should not be cited as the only solution to speeding and traffic problems. Commissioner Julie Ward Bujalski said she feels the best thing to do is to allow the Sheriff’s Office to finish their report and then look holistically at these problem areas to figure out a solution.
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Article published on Friday, Nov. 27, 2009
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