November 1 - Mayor Byron W. Brown, joined by University District Council Member Rasheed N.C. Wyatt and members of the Arden Newburgh Block Club, today announced continuing efforts of the Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program with the pilot phase installation of new speed humps. The speed humps are a component of Mayor Brown’s joint traffic-safety initiative between the Department of Public Works (DPW) and Buffalo Police (BPD) aimed at slowing traffic in several locations throughout the City. 10 speed humps have been temporarily placed on 5 targeted roadways in City neighborhoods, based on 311 requests and requested to the DPW and Buffalo Police.
“Since the beginning of our Administration, we’ve been committed to taking action to further enhance roadway safety,” said Mayor Brown. “We need to address speeding in the City and the speed humps we are testing today will target areas where speeding concerns have been reported by residents in a continued effort to make the streets of Buffalo safer, not only for drivers and their passengers, but also for pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.”
The City’s temporary speed humps are rubber mounds placed on roadways for the purpose of slowing traffic. Speed humps are more gradual than speed bumps, which are commonly seen in parking lots or on private streets. Analysis of residential complaints to Mayor Brown’s 311 Call and Resolution Line, and received by the DPW and BPD, determined the location for the speed humps during this pilot phase. The speed humps will be installed on a temporary basis to promote compliance with the speed limit and to warn motorists that the given location is a focus of the City for compliance. Police enforcement may follow the removal of the speed humps, based on observed compliance.
University District Council Member Wyatt stated, “Speeding is an issue throughout our community, and we hope the speed humps provide another alternative to encourage people to go the speed limit and drive safely. So many people drive distracted by cellphones, so I hope this will be something that helps them to pay attention and to be aware."
The new speed hump installation is part of Mayor Brown’s enhanced neighborhood traffic calming program, announced earlier this year during his City Budget Message. The enhanced program continues the innovative measures Mayor Brown has launched over the past decade in an effort to prevent speeding and further improve safety on city streets. Additional measures of the program include enhanced speed read out signage, as well as other temporary traffic calming measures that the DPW may employ with input from neighborhood residents. All of the neighborhood traffic calming will follow best practices and national standards to ensure that City streets are safe.