In 2023 Lafayette City Council adopted an update to the City’s Traffic Calming Program, as described in the Traffic Calming Program Guidebook.  The Guidebook is a policy document that describes the process by which the City implements traffic calming measures on Lafayette’s roadways by providing a protocol through which improvements are proposed, evaluated and approved.

City of Lafayette Traffic Calming Guidebook (2023)

Traffic Calming Request Form

What Do I Need to Know?

Important information that residents interested in traffic calming should know about the updated Program:

• A new Traffic Calming Request Form will need to be submitted. To be considered for traffic calming, the application must include signatures from a majority of residents from distinct addresses on both sides of your block.  Signatures are required as part of the application process to ensure that there is initial community support for traffic calming before the City begins the planning process to reduce the likelihood that traffic calming is rejected at the end of the process.  Please note that by signing the Request Form, residents acknowledge and agree that an appropriate traffic calming measure and/or sign may be installed in front of their residence if deemed the most appropriate solution by City of Lafayette staff.
• The Program is now managed on an annual cycle. Applications for the upcoming year are due on September 30 of each year.
• The Lafayette Traffic Calming Program addresses mid-block speeding on residential streets. If you have other traffic-related concerns, please contact the City’s Engineering Department.

Completed applications for traffic calming should be submitted to Patrick Golier, Transportation & Circulation Program Manager, at PGolier@ci.lafayette.ca.us

More information is provided in the FAQ section, below.

Background

The intent of the updated Traffic Calming Program is that it:

• Achieve a balance between the amount of funding that is available for traffic calming, demand for traffic calming throughout the City, and the amount of traffic calming measures that can be realistically designed and constructed in any given year;
• Reflect a realistic availability of limited staff time;
• Be reliant on a data-driven process to determine the severity of the articulated problem;
• Create a method to prioritize requests for traffic calming;
• Articulate a process for the Program that is efficient, transparent, easily understandable, and predictable;
• Result in traffic calming measures that are the most effective at addressing the documented traffic-safety issue for each roadway; and
• Is aligned with the City's Local Road Safety Plan

The updated Guidebook was reviewed and discussed at two Transportation & Circulation Commission meetings and at the June 26, 2023 City Council meeting.

What is Traffic Calming?

Traffic calming is defined by the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) as “the combination of measures that reduce the negative effects of motor vehicle use, alter driver behavior, and improve conditions for non-motorized street users.”  Measures range from education and encouragement campaigns that promote safe and slower driving; to signage and striping improvements that encourage slower speeds through visual cues; to physical measures that force drivers to slow speeds.

If you are concerned about safety an intersection, rather than speeds mid-block, traffic calming may not be the appropriate solution. For instance, if your primary concerns are about stop signs, yielding, or visibility, these issues are best addressed through other City processes. You may complete a Transportation Action Request form to inform the City of traffic-related concerns other than mid-block speeding. 

What Traffic Calming Isn’t

Lafayette’s Traffic Calming Program focuses on lower-cost measures that are proven to be effective at slowing vehicular speeds on residential streets. The program does not include larger-scale solutions to traffic congestion or speeding challenges, speeding on higher-volume arterial streets, or multi-block infrastructure improvements.

In addition, traffic calming does not include the use of regulatory measures such as stop signs, which. can only be installed if certain national guidelines, or warrants, are met. The warrants take into consideration, among other things, the probability of vehicles arriving at an intersection at the same time, the length of time traffic must wait to enter, and the availability of safe crossing opportunities.

Why are Applications Required?

Applications are required to identify locations where speeding concerns necessitate traffic calming. Unfortunately, the desire for traffic calming exceeds the City’s ability to plan, design, and construct traffic calming projects. Signatures are required as part of the application process to ensure that there is support from a majority of residents along a block.

How are Streets Selected?

Streets are selected based on the following data:

• Eligible residential streets – The block must be categorized as a local or collector street. Generally, these street classification types are two-lane streets carrying fewer than 7,500 vehicles per day. Major streets categorized as arterials are not addressed through residential traffic calming, but rather through other citywide programs and projects.
• Documented speeding issue – Streets will only be considered for traffic calming where a speeding issue has been demonstrated based on data collection efforts by City Staff. Generally, this means that 85% or more of drivers on the block are traveling at a speed greater than the posted speed limit.
• Prioritized ranking – Eligible applications will be ranked to determine the list of locations that are most in need for traffic calming in a given application year.  Prioritization will be based on quantifiable criteria such as traffic speeds, vehicle counts, number of collisions, adjacency to land uses that support walking and biking, and other unique conditions such as the presence of pedestrian or bicycle facilities.

Can I Request a Specific Traffic Calming Measure?

Staff will determine the traffic calming measure most appropriate for the unique conditions on each street and available funding.

Why is Traffic Calming Only Considered on a Block-by-Block Basis?

Trying to assess the need for traffic calming on a larger scale results in significant delays until implementation and often features that are unnecessarily expensive. It also increases the likelihood that residents will not agree on whether traffic calming is even needed.  

A resident-driven, block-by-block approach to traffic calming that relies on a data-driven approach ensures that resources are allocated to those streets where demonstrated speeding and traffic-related concerns exist, and where there is broad resident acceptance for traffic calming. City Staff is available to help residents determine the geographic boundaries of their “block” since many areas in Lafayette do not meet the standard description of a roadway segment between two intersections.

For more information about the Program, contact Patrick Golier, Transportation & Circulation Program Manager, at PGolier@ci.lafayette.ca.us