Agenda - Council - 09/09/1996 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

SPEED WATCH CHAPTER. The Neighborhood Speed Watch Program, which borrows some of the Neighborhood Crime Watch concepts, relies on neighborhood participation to create awareness and thus help control speeds in neighborhoods. A per- sonal letter may be sent to local residents as- king for their cooperation and personal visits by neighborhood committee members may in- clude an appeal for cooperation if a self con~ rained subdivision is involved. Signs may be erected. Radar observations by transportation personnel or neighborhood residents trained in the use of a radar unit are then made. One runs the unit and one records vehicle and speed information. Speeders are sent letters by the Traffic or Police Department pointing out the inconsistent speeds relative to stand- ards adopted by their friends and neighbors. In many cases, the speeders turn out to be local residents. When neighborhood residents run the unit, they learn first hand about the prob- lem or lack thereof. This technique could be a part Of a low cost initial phase attem, pt to slow speeders. Later phases could involve physical design or other changes if this technique fails to produce lasting speed reductions.. Effects Volumes. Essentially no change since traffic is 13cal. Speed. In two Georgia subdivisions, 85th per- centile speeds were reduced from 45 to 35 mph and the total number of vehicles exceeding 50 mph was reduced from 56 to 13 vehicles daffy. Neighborhood Traffic Control January 1994 ! ! In others, the speed reductions were evider' not significant. Speed..s..I' .typically go do,' during the watch, but may not remain later. Data is needed. Traffic Noise, Air Quality and Energy sumption. Little or no effect. Traffic Safety. Possibility of improved safet~ through reduced speed. ! Commurdty Reactiom This program has been,, perceived positively by the neighborhoods1 even in areas where significant speed reduc- tions were not meastzrable. Residential spe1 complaints virtually ceased in the Geor case. In many cases, the neighborhood re,~ dents may find that no significant proble: exis ts. Cos~ I This technique can typically be fairly low ii,, cost requ/rflag a radar gun and some da 15rocessing and training (staff time).