Traffic-calming plan for residential streets moves forward, but who will pay?

Last Updated on November 20, 2017, 7:01 PM | Published: November 20, 2017

There may be a more substantial answer to speeders terrorizing residential streets by the end of December, but only if each neighborhood can afford to pay for it.

The City of Oklahoma City Traffic and Transportation Commission took the next step in developing an Alternative Speed Abatement Program (ASAP) Monday.

It involves the city providing studies, expertise and installment, but not the equipment used to calm traffic in neighborhoods that are having problems with speeding through residential streets. (Full document at end of story)

The neighbors would be responsible for paying for the equipment like speed bumps and driver speed feedback devices that alert drivers if they are exceeding the speed limit.

Now that the commission has acted, ASAP goes back to Public Works staff who will tool the language further for presentation to the City Council some time at the end of December.

Funding?

Neighborhoods where the residents may not have enough money will have to find another way to fund the program for their neighborhood if the plan continues its current course.

Stuart Chai, P.E. is the city traffic engineer and secretary of the Traffic and Transportation Commission.

“The program is designed to be basically applicant funded,” Chai told Free Press after the meeting.

He said Tulsa has a traffic-calming program in place, but it is funded through their city council.

But when asked if there would be a way of funding for neighborhoods that could not afford the equipment, he was unsure.

“We are still in our infancy at this time,” Chai said. “There might be some program adopted later on to help cost share, or who knows. At this point, right now, it’s a user funded program.”

Devices

Examples of traffic-calming devices and street modifications being discussed for the program are:

• Driver speed feedback sign – The device alerts drivers when they exceed the speed limit.
• Mini roundabout – City build’s a small circular curb in the middle of an existing intersection to force drivers to slow through the intersection and go around it to make a left turn.
• Speed bumps – Fixed speed bumps are intended to force drivers to slow down.

Open seat

At the present, the commission needs to fill the open seat. People who have an Oklahoma City address are eligible to put their name forward.

The Traffic and Transportation Commission is one of the older parts of city government. It’s 70^th anniversary is 2018.

This is the full document presented to the commission Monday:

Alt Traffic Calming program 388713611202017015310730