Traffic Calming
Definition
Street design techniques slowing vehicles and improving safety: speed humps, curb extensions, raised crosswalks, chicanes, roundabouts. Makes streets safer for pedestrians/cyclists while maintaining access. Proven to reduce speeds and crashes.
Louisville Context
Louisville streets designed for speed, not safety: wide lanes, long straight stretches, minimal crosswalks encourage speeding through neighborhoods. Traffic calming transforms dangerous corridors: raised crosswalks at every school, curb extensions narrowing intersections and slowing turns, speed tables along residential streets. Focuses on neighborhoods with high pedestrian deaths and along school routes. Community input determines appropriate treatments.
Why It Matters
Speed kills—pedestrians struck at 40 mph have 85% death rate vs. 10% at 20 mph. Wide, straight streets encourage speeding through neighborhoods where kids play and seniors walk. Traffic calming physically slows vehicles, saving lives without enforcement.
Dave’s Proposal
Implement traffic calming on high-crash corridors and school routes: raised crosswalks, curb extensions, speed tables, and roundabouts. Prioritize neighborhoods with high pedestrian deaths and community-requested treatments.