Traffic Engineering

Traffic Calming

Traffic Calming is an approach to traffic management with the objective of reducing volume and/or speed to levels deemed appropriate, particularly within residential areas. Traffic calming solutions can range from median islands and speed humps to promote lower speeds, to diverters and street closures to restrict traffic movements. The City’s adopted Traffic Calming Policy provides speed and volume thresholds that must be met prior to the consideration of physical measures being installed. These are listed here for reference:

Measure	Criteria	Threshold
Speed Control	85th percentile Speed*	7 mph over posted speed
Volume Control	24 HR Traffic Volume	700 vehicles

*Speed at which 85% of the vehicles surveyed travel at or below. For a 25mph residential street this requires an 85% speed of 32 mph or above to meet the criteria.

If you feel your neighborhood meets these criteria and would like it considered for traffic calming, contact the Transportation Services Division at (928)777-1130 and describe your concern or traffic problem. Once a written request is received and determined to be consistent with the policies and procedures outlined in the City Council adopted Traffic Calming Policy a traffic investigation will be completed. Results of the investigation will then be presented to the Pedestrian, Bicycle and Traffic Advisory Committee (PBTAC), an advisory committee to the City Council on traffic matters, at one of their monthly meetings.

Policy & Documents

Traffic Calming FAQs:

Can stop signs be used to slow traffic on our street?

No, stop signs should be used to control traffic flow, not traffic speed. A stop sign tells drivers and pedestrians who has the right of way. Studies made in many parts of the country show that there is a high incidence of intentional violations where stop signs are installed as “nuisances” or “speed breakers.” While speed is reduced in the immediate vicinity of the “nuisance” stop signs, speeds are actually higher between intersections than they would have been if those signs had not been installed.

Cars on my street are going faster than the speed limit, can we install speed humps to get them to go 25mph?

The City’s Traffic Calming Policy has criteria to address roadways with speeds that are considered out of the ordinary and inappropriate. Data has shown that most drivers exceed the speed limit on a roadway by 3-7 mph. The City’s threshold of addressing speeds that are 7 or more over the posted speed limit target these higher speeds. This allows us to focus on the areas that need attention and prioritize limited resources.

Transportation Planning & Development

Our Division performs citywide and regional transportation planning through City participation in the Central Yavapai Metropolitan Planning Organization (CYMPO), administering and conducting small area transportation studies, reviewing development traffic impact analysis (TIAs) and plans, facilitating approved bicycle and pedestrian networks, and coordinating transit facilities (bus stop locations and routes).