City of Auburn
Neighborhood Traffic Calming Policy
Approved by the Auburn City Council on November 19, 2002



Neighborhood Traffic Calming Policy

The Neighborhood Traffic Calming Policy is intended to aid citizens in resolving traffic problems in residential areas. This policy has been formed to encourage citizen involvement in neighborhood traffic management activities. Issues such as reducing the average speed of traffic and minimizing vehicular traffic on local neighborhood streets require careful study. 

Procedural Steps:

The following procedures are considered typical for receiving, responding to, and managing citizens' requests for residential traffic management on their streets or in their neighborhoods. Variations in this process may be approved by the Auburn City Council when deemed appropriate due to unique circumstances. 

STEP 1: Identification of Problem 

When a neighborhood representative contacts City staff to discuss neighborhood traffic problems or concerns, the representative will be asked to complete a traffic calming request form and submit it to the City Engineer’s office. These forms may be obtained by contacting the Public Works Department – Traffic Engineering Division. Once the application has been submitted, the Traffic Engineer will evaluate the need for a traffic calming device and, if one is warranted, will determine the type of device to be installed. 

If physical traffic calming devices are needed, a neighborhood petition from the "affected area" is required, and the Traffic Engineer will notify the representative of this additional requirement. The "affected area" is defined as those properties along streets expected to receive traffic calming devices, those streets whose access is substantially dependent upon the streets to be calmed, and any streets expected to receive significant increases in traffic volume or type as a result of the traffic calming device installation. The City Engineer shall be responsible for final approval of the "affected area" to be petitioned. 

It is the responsibility of the representative to circulate the petition within the affected area. The petition must be delivered (in a legally acceptable manner) or offered to all property owners in the affected area. A positive response must be obtained by 80% or more of the total number of properties in the "affected area" to proceed further with traffic calming project design and implementation. 

Once the completed petition reflecting a positive response has been returned to the Traffic Engineer, the City Engineer will make the final recommendation to the City Manager. The City Manager will place the item on the agenda for consideration by the City Council. If approved by the City Council, the project will be scheduled for construction by the Public Works Director.

STEP 2: Analysis of Traffic Problem 

The Traffic Engineering Division of the Public Works Department will perform any necessary data collection and analysis to assess and quantify the traffic and safety conditions in the neighborhood. The Public Works staff will identify the tentative study area, collect preliminary information from their files and other potentially affected agencies, and complete any needed traffic analysis. While there are no absolute minimum criteria or warrants established for use of traffic calming techniques, staff will refer to the following guidelines when evaluating the magnitude of traffic and safety problems, potential for improvement using traffic calming techniques, and establishment of priorities for project implementation. 

A. Minimum Vehicular Volume

Traffic volumes on residential streets will determine the appropriate traffic calming measures as follows: 

· Less than 4000 vehicles per day: Education; Enforcement; Increased police enforcement for traffic violations (i.e. speeding); and Physical devices

· More than 4000 vehicles per day: Education; Enforcement; Increased police enforcement for traffic violations (i.e. speeding); Alternative actions only - no physical devices 

B. Speed

The ideal, acceptable and not acceptable traffic speeds on local streets are as follows:

C. Cut Through Traffic

Cut through traffic is typically quantified by estimating actual traffic generation from within the affected area. For local streets, cut through traffic should generally represent at least 25% - 50% of the total daily traffic to justify traffic calming efforts for this reason alone. For collector streets, cut through traffic should generally represent at least 50% - 75% of the total daily traffic to justify traffic calming efforts for this reason alone. The amount of cut through traffic that is acceptable shall be made on a case-by-case basis. 

D. Accidents

Accident problems are considered significant when there are 3 or more reported accidents, including pedestrian, bicycle and auto accidents, along a residential street or within a neighborhood during a period of twelve consecutive months. 

E. Street Grades and Alignment

Traffic calming devices are not typically installed on streets with grades exceeding 8%, or where a combination of vertical and horizontal alignment would result in inadequate stopping sight distance for motorists encountering traffic calming devices. 

F. Transit, School, and Emergency Routes

Traffic calming devices are not typically installed on streets serving as designated transit routes or primary emergency access routes. School authorities should be consulted in conjunction with proposed traffic calming devices if a school routed is considered. 

Traffic Calming Devices:

Utilizing the information gathered from analysis and speed studies, the Traffic Engineer will determine the type of device to be installed. 

Table 1 is a listing of speed requirements and recommended devices that could be used to address speeding. These devices are in order from less intrusive to more intrusive. No traffic calming device will be recommended for any collector or arterial street as shown on the Major Street Plan or any street with a traffic volume of over 4000 vehicles per day.

Table 1

Project Design and Implementation:

When a traffic calming project has received the necessary petition support, the City Engineer will schedule design and implementation of the project within budgetary constraints. All designs shall follow Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) or other nationally recommended guidelines, if available. Depending upon the number of traffic calming requests received, a project may be placed on a waiting list and prioritized based on relative need. Any necessary property dedication or landscape maintenance agreement shall be completed prior to final project design. Certain techniques may be installed for a "test period" while others may be installed in a permanent fashion. All installations will be monitored and evaluated by Public Works staff for desired effectiveness. 

Evaluation of the project includes resident and motorist reaction, field observation, traffic counts, speed studies, and other data collection as needed. If the project has not met its objectives within the monitoring period, the City Engineer will inform the City Manager who will inform the City Council. 

*Glossary of Terms:

Traffic Calming – a means in which to reduce traffic speeds.

85 Percentile Speed – the speed in which 85 percent of the vehicles are traveling at or below.

Street Narrowing – a traffic calming device consisting of a median or traffic circle to narrow the roadway.

Surface Roughing – a traffic calming device consisting of rumble strips and/or stamped asphalt on concrete in the roadway.

Speed Tables – traffic calming device consisting of a raised section of roadway.