Speed Hump on Yorkshire Estates Drive
We’ve all seen it… A car or truck zipping down the road right in front of our house. Why can’t they just slow down? And honestly, I’m sure most of us have been that driver from time to time.
So what can be done? Crestwood Police do a great job of patrolling our neighborhoods and monitoring vehicle speeds, but they can’t be everywhere.
What is Traffic Calming?
Whenever we drive down a narrow street, we naturally slow down. If there’s a bump ahead, we naturally slow down. That is traffic calming – creating a driving experience that makes us slow down without thinking about it.
Traffic calming involves the use of physical design and other measures to reduce vehicle speeds, minimize collisions, and improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists. Examples include narrowing driving lanes, adding crosswalks, and installing speed humps or other structures that encourage slower driving.
Crestwood’s Traffic Calming Policy
Traffic calming started as a Board of Aldermen goal several years ago. Since that time, Public Works and the Police Department have worked together to develop and refine the policy.
It was reviewed and discussed by residents who represent all of us on the Public Works Board and the Public Safety Board. Additionally, a neighborhood meeting was held earlier this year to discuss traffic calming measures, providing valuable feedback from residents.
All of this input helped shape the policy, which was ultimately reviewed, updated, and approved by the Board of Aldermen in June 2024. You can view a copy of that policy document HERE
Crestwood’s Traffic Calming Initiatives
Crestwood has already implemented traffic calming measures on two streets: Yorkshire Estates Drive and Crest Oak Lane. On both streets, speed humps were recently installed, and initial reactions from residents have been very positive. These measures appear to be effective in reducing speeds and improving safety. As prescribed in the Traffic Calming Policy, the police department will continue to monitor these streets, collecting traffic volume and speed data to determine the long-term impact.
These efforts are part of the "Demonstration Projects" portion of the new city-wide policy. They were implemented in areas where residents proactively reached out to the city and the data supported the need for action. While additional traffic calming features may be warranted along other parts of these streets, there are no immediate plans for further work. That said, if you live in these areas and would like your street reviewed, read below for how to submit a request.
The city also understands that residents may have concerns about how traffic calming measures could affect services like snow plowing, deliveries, and emergency response. Rest assured, these factors have been carefully considered in the planning and design of each project to ensure minimal disruption while enhancing neighborhood safety.
What About Garber Road?
Garber Road is one of the demonstration projects identified in the Traffic Calming Policy. Due to its straight, long nature and the speed data collected, Garber Road stands out as a strong candidate for traffic calming measures. However, unlike other projects, Garber Road will require a more complex combination of traffic calming tools to effectively address the speeding issues.
The city plans to use the data and insights gathered from smaller and simpler traffic calming projects, like those on Yorkshire Estates Drive and Crest Oak Lane, to inform and finalize a proposed design for Garber Road. This careful, data-driven approach will ensure that any measures implemented are both effective and appropriate for the specific challenges of Garber Road. The proposed design is expected to be ready, likely in 2025, once sufficient data has been analyzed and best practices have been established. That design will again be shared with impacted residents for approval before proceeding.
The Approval Process for Traffic Calming Measures
The Crestwood Traffic Calming Initiative is a four-step process that involves collaboration between residents and various city departments:
What About My Street?
If you believe that your street would benefit from traffic calming measures, please fill out the Traffic Calming Request Form.
It's important to note that traffic calming measures are only considered for residential streets, not for major roads like Watson, Big Bend, Sappington, Eddie and Park, Pardee Road, or Grant Road, which fall under different jurisdictions or are unsuitable for such measures.
Additionally, not all streets will qualify for traffic calming measures. The policy is based on research, and certain criteria must be met to proceed with a project. For example, courts and cul-de-sacs are less likely to qualify due to their design, which makes it unlikely for 85% of vehicles to exceed the speed limit by 10 mph or more.
Patience is Key
As you can imagine, residents all around Crestwood are interested in slowing drivers on their streets. Plenty of requests have already been submitted, so we ask for your patience as the Police Department works through each one. Data collection spans multiple weeks, so it may take a while before they can assess your street.
For more detailed information, you can review the Traffic Calming Policy page on the city's website HERE.