Traffic Calming

How can I request traffic calming?

If you would like to request traffic calming, or discuss a concern about traffic in your neighbourhood, please contact our Transportation Division, or contact Access St. John's.

How long does it take you to start a traffic calming project on my street?

There is no set time frame for traffic calming.

If your street is eligible to go through the traffic calming program and there is enough support from residents on the street, the City will collect speed and volume data for evaluation. This data needs to capture when speeding is most likely to occur on the street and is therefore not typically done during the winter months.

After the data is collected it is analyzed. If measured traffic volumes on a street are too low, or drivers are generally respecting the posted speed limit on a street, it is not eligible for traffic calming. If this is not the case, your street will be ranked among other streets that have qualified for traffic calming.

Generally, priority is given to streets where measured speeds and volumes are highest.

What types of traffic calming are appropriate for my street?

The type of traffic calming that is suitable on your street depends on where you live.

If your street is a local road, almost any traffic calming measure could be suitable. If you live on a collector street or if your street is a transit route or primary emergency response route, then some measures that restrict the movement of larger vehicles will not be appropriate.

Our traffic calming policy does not permit traffic calming on arterials. The design and primary function of these streets is to move traffic. Installing restrictive measures will likely cause traffic to re-route through neighbourhoods.

When should I start the petition for traffic calming on my street?

Our staff in Transportation are here to help you work through this process. Before you petition your neighbours and ask if they want to see traffic calming on their street, you must first contact us to confirm your street meets the criteria needed to begin the process. Check out our flowchart, outlining our process for traffic calming.

If your street is too steep, if you live on an arterial or a short cul-de-sac/crescent, or if your street has recently gone through the process, it may be ineligible for traffic calming.

Once staff has confirmed your street is eligible, they will provide you with the petition form, the area of your street being considered for the project (if you live on a really long street), and the number of signatures you required to proceed to the next steps. 

Can I request a particular type of traffic calming such as speed bumps?

You are welcome to submit suggestions regarding what types of traffic calming measures you’d like to see on your street for City staff to consider. Staff are responsible for deciding which measures can be trialed, or permanently constructed on a street.

My neighbours have requested traffic calming many times, why haven’t you installed speed bumps yet?

Your street may be ineligible for traffic calming or may have already been evaluated and is waiting to begin the process because it ranked below other qualified streets. Staff can provide you with an update on the status of your street if requested.

Historically the City receives over 30 requests for traffic calming each year for evaluation. Our capacity is to trial about five new traffic calming projects each year.

We are making progress on the list of streets qualifying for traffic calming, and we now have an updated policy in an effort to see more streets successfully move through the process. 

My street has been on the waiting list for traffic calming for a long time, why are we waiting so long?

After a given street has been approved for traffic calming it is ranked among other streets based on an evaluation score. Priority is given to the top scoring streets, generally where the measured speeds and volumes are highest, and is not based on when the request was made. This means that if a new request comes in for a street with more traffic and higher speeds, it will be placed higher on the priority list than other streets that may have had traffic calming requested first. Streets may also be given priority to coordinate with planned construction projects.