Traffic Calming Demonstration Project
November 2024
Speeding traffic, stop sign running, and aggressive and/or distracted driving have long been top concerns of our residents. We worked with the City of Columbia to trial a curb extension project on Park Street, which has proved to be an effective traffic calming mechanism in communities across the country.
Curb extensions, also known as bump outs, are designed to slow traffic by both visually & physically narrowing intersections.
This also allows us to:
Move the stop signs closer to the travel lanes,
Shorten the distance of crosswalks, and
Improve pedestrian visibility.
Example of a permanent bump out
We know the plastic bollards aren’t the prettiest – but they were only designed as a temporary demonstration project, so that we could evaluate its effectiveness and gather neighborhood feedback.
They were found to be effective, and we are working with the city to create proper curb extensions that can be planted & beautified!
You can learn more at the National Association of City Transportation Official’s Urban Street Design Guide.
We’d also love to hear your thoughts and feedback! Please use the form below to share: