Baltimore installed hundreds of speed humps last year, hoping to address the growing concerns of residents worried about dangerous speeding and aggressive driving in their neighborhoods. The city’s Department of Transportation managed to lay down 455 speed humps in various communities in 2024, outpacing previous years’ efforts significantly. However, the number of resident requests for these traffic-calming measures continued to outstrip the city’s ability to meet them, resulting in a larger backlog than ever before.
The backlog is a stark reminder of how much Baltimore residents yearn for safer streets. This situation became more critical with the onset of the pandemic, when reckless driving and speeding spiked nationally. One resident, Matt Folley, has been advocating for speed humps on South Ellwood Avenue for over four years. He and his neighbors are desperate for a solution to the dangerous driving conditions right outside their homes. The following sections explain the detailed process and challenges of installing speed humps in Baltimore.
1. Resident or Neighborhood Submits a “Traffic Calming” 311 Request
The process to install speed humps begins when a resident or neighborhood submits a “traffic calming” 311 request. This can be done either via phone call or through the city’s online portal. Residents like Matt Folley, who have experienced dangerous driving on their streets for years, often take this step in a bid to improve safety in their communities. These requests are filtered and queued based on priority and urgency, which can sometimes lead to delays.
When these requests flood in faster than the city can address them, a backlog forms. This is exactly what has been happening in Baltimore, where the volume of new requests has tripled since 2019. Even though the city’s Department of Transportation has been working tirelessly to address these concerns, it’s clear that demand far surpasses their current capacity. Unfortunately, when requests aren’t filled within the same year, they roll over to the subsequent “paving season,” exacerbating the backlog.
2. Transportation Officials Conduct a Field Investigation
Once a “traffic calming” 311 request has been submitted, the next step involves a field investigation by transportation officials. This step is crucial as it involves collecting vehicle speed data on the concerned roadway. This process can take up to four weeks to complete, depending on the complexity and the availability of the necessary resources. The collected data helps officials determine the severity of the problem and prioritize the most critical areas.
However, residents like Folley have voiced concerns about the accuracy of these investigations. Folley’s street underwent speed testing during the middle of the day, a time when traffic is relatively lighter compared to rush hours. The subsequent results indicated that his block wasn’t a high priority based on speed readings. Such misalignments between residents’ experiences and data collection can further delay the installation process, leaving residents feeling frustrated and unheard.
3. Engineers Create a Schematic for the Roadway
After the field investigation is concluded and the data analyzed, engineers take over by creating a schematic for the roadway. This step involves detailed planning and designing of the proposed speed humps and other traffic calming measures that may be necessary for the area. When engineers develop these plans, pedestrian safety, traffic flow, and other critical factors are all taken into account.
These schematics form the blueprint for the installation process, illustrating where and how speed humps will be placed. The plans might also include additional modifications like new crosswalks, road signs, or intersection bump-outs that give pedestrians more space to navigate. Once the schematic is completed, it must be reviewed and approved by various stakeholders, each having their role in ensuring the project’s feasibility and safety.
4. The Fire Department Reviews the Plan
One of the significant steps in the process involves the Fire Department reviewing the proposed plan. This review is essential because the installation of speed humps must not hinder emergency vehicle response times. The department assesses whether the planned modifications would impede fire trucks, ambulances, and other emergency services from swiftly navigating through the area.
This step can take as little as one week or, in some cases, extend to two months if the Fire Department has specific concerns. Such delays can be frustrating for residents who are already anxious for solutions. However, ensuring that emergency services can operate efficiently must remain a top priority for the city. Balancing the need for traffic calming with emergency response effectiveness often requires careful planning and adjustments to the original proposal.
5. Neighbors Close to the Proposed Speed Humps Get Postcards
Once the Fire Department approves the schematic, the next step involves communicating with the neighborhood. Residents living close to the proposed speed humps receive postcards containing information about the project. They are given the opportunity to offer feedback, comments, or complaints regarding the planned installation. This public consultation period typically takes between six to eight weeks.
Engaging the community in this manner is an essential aspect of the process. It ensures that the residents who are directly impacted by these changes can voice their concerns and suggestions. However, this step can also introduce further delays, particularly if significant objections are raised, necessitating modifications to the initial plan or additional reviews.
6. Once Approved, the Project Gets Placed in the Queue
The final step once all approvals are secured and community feedback addressed is the placement of the project in the construction queue. Unfortunately, this is where many requests can get caught up, as the city’s paving capacities are limited to certain seasons and temperatures conducive to laying asphalt. This seasonality can push the actual construction date several months or even a year beyond initial approval.
The situation on South Ellwood Avenue exemplifies these delays. Despite going through all previous steps, residents like Matt Folley still waited for months, only receiving temporary speed bumps on New Year’s Eve after many near misses and documented accidents. Such delays contribute to the sense of frustration felt by residents and highlight the need for continued improvements in managing and responding to these urgent requests.
Conclusion
Last year, Baltimore took major steps to curb dangerous speeding and aggressive driving by installing hundreds of speed humps. The city’s Department of Transportation successfully laid down 455 speed humps in various neighborhoods throughout 2024, a significant increase from previous years. However, despite these efforts, resident demand for these traffic-calming measures far exceeded the city’s capacity to fulfill them, creating an even larger backlog.
This growing backlog highlights the intense desire of Baltimore residents for safer streets, a concern magnified during the pandemic when reckless driving and speeding surged nationwide. One resident, Matt Folley, has been pushing for speed humps on South Ellwood Avenue for over four years. Folley and his neighbors express a desperate need for a solution to the hazardous driving conditions near their homes. The following sections detail the intricate process and the various challenges associated with installing speed humps in Baltimore, illustrating both the city’s efforts and the ongoing struggles faced by its residents.
