Neighborhood Traffic Calming

The response to Cleveland Heights’ new Neighborhood Traffic Calming program has been overwhelming! Eight streets have successfully petitioned for traffic calming and are in the queue for traffic studies.
 
The City of Cleveland Heights has limited capacity to conduct traffic studies and can only undertake two studies simultaneously. As a result, the City is temporarily no longer accepting new applications for neighborhood traffic calming so it can focus on those streets that have already applied. 

To be notified when the Traffic Calming application process reopens, please fill out the form below and enter your name, email address and the name of the street you would like to petition for traffic calming.

The goal of Cleveland Heights’ Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program is to reduce excessive speeding and/or traffic volumes on local and collector streets (the streets that connect local roads with arteries). The process for including streets in the program must be initiated by neighborhood residents, not the City. Residents should be advised that a request may not ultimately result in the recommendation of traffic calming or speed reduction measures. Additionally, the implementation and timing of traffic calming measures may be limited based on funding availability.

TRAFFIC CALMING is the practice of trying to manage speeds and/or volumes of traffic on residential streets using one or more approaches: 

  • Physical changes to the roadway;
  • Education, or
  • Increased police enforcement.

Each of these approaches has its appropriate application and individually or together can help reduce unwanted cut-through traffic (traffic diversion) or reduce speeds on neighborhood streets.

Which streets qualify?

  1. To be considered for Neighborhood Traffic Calming, a street must be functionally classified as either a local residential street or collector street.
  2. Traffic calming will be considered only along street frontages where 75% of lots are developed.
  3. Collector streets will not be considered for traffic reduction, though they may be considered for speed reduction.
  4. For traffic reduction:A traffic calming study must determine that traffic volumes exceed:
    • 500 vehicles per day on a local street;
    • 1,000 vehicles per day on a collector street.
    Streets with traffic volumes exceeding 3,000 vehicles per day will not be considered for the program.
  5. For speed reduction: Speed measurements must show that at least 15% of drivers are exceeding the posted speed limit by more than 5 MPH.

How are streets approved for traffic calming?

Step 1: PETITION FOR TRAFFIC CALMING STUDY

Complete a petition requesting a traffic calming study. Only residents along the portion of the street for which traffic calming is being sought may sign. To be valid, the petition must include signatures from no less than 50% of the homes and/or apartments located on property along the affected portion of the street (only one signature per household/apartment will be counted). Staff will review the petition. If determined by staff to be a qualified petition, staff will notify the petitioner and forward it to Step 2.

Step 2: STUDY AND EVALUATION

Once a qualified petition is received and traffic monitoring is available, the Police Department will initiate a traffic calming study to measure vehicle volume and speeds over a 2-week period. The Police Department, Department of Public Works, City’s consulting Traffic Engineer will review the data and current roadway conditions. If speeds or volumes meet the criteria for traffic calming, staff will review the street section and propose a set of traffic calming measures that may be safely implemented. These measures will be tested, first with traffic cones for 2-3 months, then with markers for 3-4 months. If speed is reduced significantly, then permanent changes will be proposed. If speeds or volumes do not meet the criteria for traffic calming, staff will notify the petitioner, thus ending the process.

Step 3: NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING

Staff will review the traffic calming study and test results with residents of the street and describe possible remedies at a neighborhood meeting. This provides an opportunity for residents to ask questions of staff and discuss solutions with their neighbors. The goal of the meeting is to determine whether there is support from the neighborhood to pursue any of the measures proposed by staff. Note that if it is determined that an improvement is necessary to improve safety, rather than calm traffic, the City may unilaterally implement the improvement without requisite support from the neighborhood.

Step 4: NEIGHBORHOOD SURVEY

If residents at the neighborhood meeting wish to move forward with a proposed traffic calming measure(s), staff will send a mail-back survey card to each household along the affected section of the street. At least 50% of the households surveyed must return the survey card and more than 60% of the responding households must agree with the traffic calming proposal for it to be considered for implementation.

Step 5: REVIEW AND APPROVAL

If the mail-back survey indicates approval by 60% of respondents, Staff will determine if capital budget is available for permanent installation or that such measures be included in future capital budget. Staff will then schedule its installation. The City will correspond with each of the residents on the street regarding the changes and implementation schedule.

For questions or to submit a petition for Traffic Calming, please contact:
trafficcalming@clevelandheights.gov