As both the population and the demand on our time increases so too will the frustration and speed on our roadways. We currently have more people then ever before attempting to get from point A to point B and they are attempting to do this faster then ever before.

At the same time, the increasing demands on our time has heightened our stress and anxiety levels. The results of these factors have combined to create more road rage, more strategic use of neighborhood streets, and faster speeds.

Not surprisingly many communities throughout the nation have started to experience these impacts along individual neighborhood streets. The uniform result has been a barrage of complaints to the city-planning departments. Rightfully so, residents are asking for measures to reduce traffic speeds and volume. In industry terms, these residents want "traffic calming" which is simply the process of erecting barriers that slow traffic speeds, and in some cases divert traffic flows from one street to another.

While the topic of traffic calming tends be an emotionally charged and controversial topic, clearly proactive measures to reduce traffic speeds and volumes need to be considered in many of our neighborhoods. Unfortunately, the solution embraced by many neighborhood coalitions is the formation of speed bumps. On the surface this solution seems to be a win-win situation for the residents and the city planning departments. Speed bumps can be implemented fairly quickly and they are low cost to the city.

However, the long-term impacts of speed bumps can be disastrous. Organizations such as the National Motorist Association, The Federal CMAQ Program (Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality), the Americans with Disabilities, Access Safe Streets, and the city of Portland Maine have gone on record to reported that speed bumps:

• Delay emergency vehicles by 13 seconds for each speed bump.
• Aggravate conditions associated with spinal and neck disorders.
• Increase the cost of vehicle maintenance by 50%.
• Increase neighborhood air pollution by 48%.
• Increase the instances of road rage.
• Decrease property values and increase the length of time homes stay on the market.
• Increase pedestrian deaths because drivers drive erratically to avoid the bump.
• Increase in death and permanent injury as a result of emergency vehicle delays.

The problem with speed bumps is that they breakup the continuity of the roadway by inserting a barrier that one is forced to traverse. Great Britain has reported that they have had to spend millions to remove speed bumps as a result of issues that have arisen with individuals’ with disabilities. Currently there are cities in the United States that are facing litigation based the premise that speed bumps preclude many with disabilities from utilizing certain streets, and many members of the Bar Association have gone on record as stating that cities could be held liable not only because of injury caused directly by a speed bump, but for injury and damage incurred by actions made by drivers because of the device, such as swerving around them, and/or for personal injury or death caused by emergency response delays caused by speed bumps.

Clearly, speed bumps are not the best solution for neighborhoods, so what can we do to reduce speed and traffic levels within our neighborhoods? City planners have at their disposal several options available for implementation.

One possible solution is to change the configuration of the street. Instead of having a long straight line for a roadway, the city can strategically add bump outs along the sides of the roads that will make the street appear more like an S. Another solution is to strategically add these bump outs on both sides of the street creating and hourglass shape. Both of these solutions call upon behavioral patterns in that instinct will cause the individual to slow down when forced to navigate through tight places, and/or along curving pathways.

Another solution is the advent of thin medians and/or traffic circles. Again, these two concepts act on human behavior patterns in that instinct causes individuals to slow their speeds when they perceive impenetrable barriers in front of them. The key, however, to each of these solutions is the use of landscaping. Trees are formidable structures that humans know can cause damage to them and their vehicles. Unlike a curb, which can be traversed with relatively less damage to an automobile, a tree can destroy an automobile. Likewise, trees are clearly visible from greater distances unlike curbing, which is usually not seen until the driver is fairly close to the actual structure. Hence, because trees can be seen from greater distances, human behaviors will encourage the individual to respond to the perceived barrier from a further distance; meaning they will slow down long before they would with just a curbing.

We are not living in easy times, and the unfortunate truth is that traffic calming has become a necessary evil that most neighborhoods have been forced to embrace. Loss of pets, increased number of traffic accidents, and a growing fear for pedestrian life have combined with our desire for quick and easy fixes have resulted in disasters for many neighborhoods. The solution of speed bumps has an initial appeal because they often appear to slow traffic, most people know what they are, they are relatively inexpensive to install. In addition, because of the relative low cost of installing the speed bumps, cities are typically quick to act.

But, for every action there is an equal and/or greater reaction. Speed bumps incite drivers to drive erratically in an attempt to get around them, increase their speeds in-between the bumps in order to make up for the lose of time, and increase the cases of road rage as the driver becomes frustrated. In addition, speed bumps also have health implications in that they can aggravate disorders of the spine and neck, decease the time for emergency response vehicles, and increase traffic anxiety for the elderly. In the past, speed bumps have been touted as the Holy Grail, but the reality is that they are nothing more than a panacea that could end up costing you and your community an enormous amount of money as result of lawsuits.

Published: April 28, 2003

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David Alan Kopec "DAK" has a Ph.D. in Environmental Psychology with a concentration in perception and design and two master's degrees, one in Architecture and another in Community Psychology. He also has a bachelor's degree in community/public health, is certified by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC), a member of Interior Design Education Council (IDEC), and studied the practice and principles of Feng Shui in China. Among DAK's most notable accomplishments include the completion of the first textbook on environmental psychology for design, published by Fairchild Books, which won ASID's 2006 Joel Polsky Prize. He has also authored two monographs; the first analyzes the Americans with Disabilities Act along with the common issues faced by an elderly population, published by ASID. The second monograph discusses the design of long-term care facilities in a multicultural society. This is being published by NCIDQ. Currently DAK is working on a second textbook that analyzes health, sustainability and design. Fairchild Books will release this book in the Spring of 2008. Also, DAK is a 2006 award recipient from Rebuilding Together San Diego. DAK is an Associate Professor of Design at the Newschool of Architecture and Design. In addition, DAK has a private practice, provides consulting services and educational lectures at events such as Neo-Con World’s Trade Fair in Chicago, the annual leadership conference for the American Society for Interior Designers (ASID), and dozens of physician conferences and meetings.