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Q:Several years ago I saw a sign posted on a quiet neighborhood street that warned of a speed limit of 14 mph. Another time I saw a posted speed limit of 22 mph. Seems to me that these odd-numbered speed limits could be an effective way of getting drivers to pay attention and slow down. What do you think?

K.C. - Hillsboro, OR

A: We've seen them too. We've even heard of signs that say things like..."No driving over this bridge faster than you can walk." And while anecdotal reports sometimes attest to odd speed sign effectiveness, scientific research prove otherwise. According to a study conducted by the Institute of Traffic Engineers, Washington D.C. (http://www.ite.org/traffic/), odd numbered speed limit postings had no effect on slowing traffic. Too bad - we enjoy seeing them.

 

Q:Hi there, I do have a concern as well as some questions. I live in a residential area. For years it has always been a problem that people speed down the street. Within the past few years that I am aware of there have been complaints to the police department asking for speed limit signs to be put up. One woman on this street was told that she would have to pay for it herself and put it on her property, the cost is about $250.00.
 Since then I have personally called the Mayors office, and the police department as well as the DPW, but to no avail. I was told by the DPW that he would research it and get back to me, I called him after 2 weeks (and) I was then told that he needed to see if there had been any accidents on the street. There have been no accidents on this street because we ALL watch out for the kids on the street, and we should not feel anxious when our children go out to play.
There are at least 10 children on this street alone, a few who do not go to school as of yet. It is a BIG concern for the parents. I do no think that we should wait until there is an accident or one of our children gets hit by a speeding car. Then there will be more than just a petition or complaining going on.
I would like to know what I can do to be heard and to have something done about this problem. I am 43 years old and this has been a problem ever since I was a child. I also have a 5-year-old child that I wont let go anywhere in the front yard because I'm afraid that he will get hit. 

M.W., Feeding Hills Ma.

 

A: 1. 10 voices are louder than 1. Organize your neighbors and show up in force at your local city council meeting to voice your concern. Gather a petition signed by neighbors and delivered to the Mayors office and cc'd to the DPW.   

2. Put your concerns in writing. Phone calls are fleeting - e-mails and (better still) a written letter is often more effective because it leaves a paper trail. Include the  fact that there are lots of children on your street and you do not want to wait for an accident to happen before action is taken.  

3. Review/send studies. Our website includes a variety of government studies on what is and what is not effective in slowing cars on neighborhood streets. The more informed you are, the better the outcome will ultimately be.  

4. Suggest to the DPW / Mayor / Police that they contact Information Display Company to get information on its radar speed sign try-before-you-buy loaner program. We've found that city officials are oftentimes more likely to implement a traffic-calming solution once they see how effective it is. IDC will temporarily install a radar speed sign in your neighborhood at not cost. The results will be clearly observable by all. If the city then insists that you purchase these displays with your own money, IDC may be able to help - but it requires an organization (like your neighborhood group) rather than a single individual. You can learn more about this loaner program and neighborhood support program at www.informationdisplay.com (a sponsor of stopspeeders.org).

Q: The city came out and observed traffic behavior around a nearby neighborhood playground and found that while a lot of cars go 5 to 10 mph over the limit, very few drivers speed 15 mph or more and this makes it a "low priority." I know it's dangerous. How do I prove it?

M. Wedemyer. - Watsonville, CA

A: You don't need to prove a thing. That's already been done. A number of studies conducted by various national and local agencies have all come to the same conclusion: There is a direct and significant relationship between vehicle speed and pedestrian injury and a few mph over the limit can make the difference between a cast or a casket. Here are some findings: Only 5 percent of pedestrians would die when struck by a vehicle traveling 20 mph or less. That jumps to 40 percent when the car is going 30mph, 80% at 40 mph and nearly 100% at 50 mph.

U.S. Department of Transportation, DOT HS 809 021 October 1999