Traffic Calming Program
What is Traffic Calming?
- Traffic calming involves the use of design features, signage, pavement markings, rule adjustments, and other techniques to change behavior of drivers. This tool helps urban planners and roadway designers address speeding and other dangerous driving behaviors. The goal is to improve safety for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists while potentially reducing traffic volumes.
How can I get involved?
- The neighborhood traffic calming program allows your neighborhood's safety concerns to be addressed. The program offers educational, behavioral, and environmental solutions to address traffic safety concerns.
- After familiarizing yourself with the process below, reach out to Thurston County Traffic Engineering & Operations at (360) 867-2300 or by submitting a form here.
What is the process?
- The program is split into two phases- one focused on changing driver behavior and one designed to physically change the street. With current budget restraints, only Phase I is currently supported financially by Thurston County. For a neighborhood to progress to Phase II, external funding would need to be provided for construction.
Phase I -Changing Driver Behavior
We can improve the safety of some areas with low-cost solutions. After a complaint from a neighborhood is filed, Thurston County launches a study to collect traffic data and analyze the roadway conditions in your neighborhood.
Solutions such as signing, markings, and brush trimming are low-cost examples that, in many cases, resolve neighborhood traffic safety concerns.
If the majority of vehicles are traveling 5 mph or more over the speed limit based on the study conducted, the County can utilize the following tools:
Visibility along a roadway can be greatly improved in many instances by simply treating or cutting back vegetation. In severe cases, vegetation can block speed limit or stop signs, resulting in hazards to all using the road.
No parking zones are areas where parking is not allowed. These restrictions are in place for safety or to improve the flow of traffic.
The county encourages residents to utilize yard signs to bring drivers’ attention to the speed limit, presence of children, or other traffic concerns.
Signs should only be in use when there is activity taking place, or the signs could reduce effectiveness.
Upon request or by county action, the speed trailer or speed sign will be deployed on county roads. The trailer and sign are primarily used for short term operations (around two weeks).
Even with a limited amount of deputies for enforcement, we can request increased patrol presence based on the patterns from the speed data and feedback from residents.
In areas with poor visibility, flagging speed limit signs may be a solution to traffic issues. With this solution, orange flags are mounted behind the speed limit sign to better catch the driver's attention.
Phase II- Changing the Roadway Environment
If changes made from Phase I do not reduce traffic issues, physical changes can be made through the next phase.
Please note, funding for this step is not currently covered by Thurston County. To move forward with this phase, funding must be provided by the neighborhood.
To be eligible for this phase,
- Certain roadway criteria must be met
- Only local roadways with a posted speed limit of 25 mph are eligible for traffic calming devices
- Support from the majority of the neighborhood is needed
- Funding is covered by the neighborhood.
Chicanes are used to slow vehicle speeds. As vehicles move horizontally along the road, their speeds are reduced. You will find that driving through a chicane is as natural as following the typical curves of a road. As you approach the chicane, you will want to slow your speed. Typically, they begin with a curve to the right, followed by an equal curve back to the left as the road straightens.
Traffic circles naturally reduce vehicle speeds by forcing drivers to slow down to navigate the curve. Lower speeds mean fewer accidents and less severe injuries when collisions occur. Traditional intersections often involve left turns across traffic, which are a major cause of crashes. In a traffic circle, all traffic flows in one direction, removing the risk of head-on or T-bone collisions. Drivers must pay closer attention as they enter and navigate the circle, increasing their awareness of other vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians. Passenger and light-weight vehicles travel around the traffic circle, just as they would around a larger roundabout. Larger vehicles can continue straight by slowing down and going over the 3" rolled up lip and stamped concrete.
There are two types of traffic circles: mountable curb and traditional, non-mountable curbs.
Medians separate lanes traveling in opposite directions. Medians reduce the number of crashes between opposing lanes by reducing the width of the roadway and travel lanes. Reduced road width results in lower speeds for drivers traveling in the lanes.
Speed cushions are raised road features that discourage drivers from speeding. They may be built from asphalt, recycled plastic, or types of rubber.
As a vehicle approaches the raised feature, they're forced to slow down. Typically, these types of devices are used for roads with speed limits under 25 miles per hour.
Speed cushions allow vehicles to straddle the gaps between the raised cushions, avoiding the slow downs faced by speed humps and tables. This makes it easier for emergency services to navigate our roads.
Public Works staff will collaborate with communities to find the best treatment and location to address speeding and unsafe driver behavior.