Above and Below: New city-installed speedbumps have slowed traffic on Roosevelt Avenue

Richmond’s Public Works department is making it easier for community members to let the City know which streets and intersections have dangerous conditions. You can go to the traffic calming program page to learn more and to find a link to an inquiry form where you can share what you know about dangerous road conditions. There’s also instructions about how to submit information in person at City Hall.

Traffic calming refers to a variety of measures implemented to reduce vehicle speeds and improve safety on our roadways. These measures are designed to create safer environments for all road users, including pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists. Some common traffic calming techniques include speed humps, roundabouts, raised crosswalks, and traffic circles. 

Traffic calming devices are by far the most cost-effective way to make Richmond’s streets safer, but of course it takes time and money to get this work done. I want to share a little bit about that process with you.  

Richmond Public Works is collecting requests for traffic calming from community members and staff members working in the field. City engineers and transportation consultants hired by the City (Fehr and Peers) will check eligibility, analyze traffic conditions, and rank the requests to put the most dangerous situations first in line for help. They are evaluating factors such as traffic volume, speed, and collision history, as well as community input. 

Based on their assessment of what’s needed to fix the problem, a conceptual design is developed. We expect the first batch of designs to be completed late this summer. The proposed design then goes through an approval process, which may involve public input and coordination with relevant stakeholders. 

Once the design is approved, funding for the project needs to be secured. This may involve seeking grants, exploring partnerships with other agencies, or allocating money we’ve already set aside in the city budget for traffic calming. 

With funding in place, the construction phase begins. Some of the work will be done by city staff, while contractors will be hired to complete larger and more complicated projects. 

So while it won’t happen overnight, once each project is done, the traffic calming devices will be in place 24/7 to help keep our streets safe. And installing and evaluating the effectiveness of these devices will now be an on-going part of city services. In future newsletters, I will update you about the progress of traffic calming measures being installed here in our District.