Home » Speed Cushions: All Answers to Your Questions

Speed Cushions: All Answers to Your Questions

Speed cushions are traffic control devices installed in roadways and city streets. They slow down passenger cars and allow large vehicles like buses, ambulances, police vans, and fire trucks to move without speed reduction.

Municipalities install them in a variety of places to make them pedestrian-friendly. They reduce road accidents and the severity of vehicular crashes, helping save innumerable lives on roads.

Want to learn more about this beneficial tool? Keep reading the article to find out everything about them.

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Top 8 frequently asked questions about speed cushions

Here are the top FAQs and their answers related to speed cushions.

What is a speed cushion?

It is a speed-reduction device that slows down cars, not long-axle vehicles.

How do speed cushions work?

Read its detailed answer in the link below.

What are speed cushions made of?

They come in numerous materials, including recycled plastic, recycled rubber, concrete, and asphalt.

Are speed cushions noisy?

They produce less noise than speed humps and speed bumps.

What are speed cushions spacing from each other?

It should be more than the size of a large vehicle’s wheels. Generally, two speed cushions are installed at least 2 feet apart.

What do speed cushions cost?

They are available at numerous costs governed by their material, size, and quality.

Do speed cushions work?

Yes, they are highly effective in managing car speed.

How to drive over speed cushions?

You should reduce your vehicle’s speed from 20 to 25 miles per hour (mph) before you drive over them.

A pair of red road cushions on the road.

Discover here more about this topic: Top 8 Frequently Asked Questions about Speed Cushions.

What are speed cushions regulations?

The Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration have specific rules and regulations regarding speed cushions.

For instance, in the UK, the length of a speed cushion should be approximately 10 feet, and the width should be almost 7 feet. Their height should be around 3 inches. Speed cushions having almost the same size are used in most countries.

You must always purchase speed cushions constructed according to your local regulations.

A pair of red speed cushions on the road.

Discover here more about this topic: What are Speed Cushions Regulations?

How does a speed cushion work?

A speed cushion with a raised surface forces car drivers to slow down while driving over it.

Their width is more than that of passenger cars but less than that of emergency vehicles. Hence, an emergency vehicle can easily drive over them without slowing down.

If two speed cushions are installed side-by-side, they will have wheel cut-outs to give emergency vehicles’ wheels enough space for movement. They will also let cyclists and bicyclists move through.

Two red Europe style traffic speed cushions on the road for traffic-calming purposes.

Discover here more about this topic: How does a Speed Cushion work?

Top 5 Speed Cushions brands

There are numerous speed cushion brands, but the following are the best ones.

Traffic Logix: They produce high-quality rubber speed cushions with an interlocking system and bright highway tapes. Their minimum tensile strength is 500 psi.

Marshalls: Their speed cushions are available in two materials; concrete and rubber. They come in two sizes. Smaller ones consist of 4 pieces, while larger ones consist of 6 pieces that are joined during installation.

Rediweld: They manufacture speed cushions using recycled material. They are available in 8 dimensions, giving users many size options to choose from. Their products have reflective tape to enhance their visibility.

Sino Concept: It is a French-owned company producing three kinds of speed humps suitable for different locations. All products are made of recycled rubber and come with free installation accessories.

Speed Cushion Factory: It produces durable speed cushions using 90% recycled rubber and 10% virgin rubber. Their surface is textured, helping prevent vehicular skidding. They have reflective polyresin films to improve their visibility at night.

Traffic Logix speed cushions, a Marshalls speed cushion, two Rediweld speed cushions, Sino Concpet speed cushions, and Speed Cushion Factory speed cushions.

Discover here more about this topic: Top 5 Speed Cushions Brands!

Get in touch

The Speed Cushions Factory is a leading manufacturer of rubber speed cushions located in Qingdao, China.
Feel free to contact us!
We are always here to help!

Qingdao, Shandong Province, China.

sales@speed-cushion.com

Speed cushions in different American cities

Speed cushions are very common in American cities like Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Houston, Phoenix, and Mississauga.

They have specific designs and dimensions that are regulated by their local municipalities.

Rubber speed cushions are more abundantly found there compared to the other forms of this road traffic safety tool. Their height varies from 2 to 3 inches, while their length varies from 7 to 10 feet.

Black speed cushions with white markings on the road for traffic-calming purposes.

Discover here more about this topic: Speed Cushions in Different American Cities.

Speed cushions vs. speed bumps, humps, and tables

Transportation engineers use different traffic calming measures on bike lanes, roundabouts, parking lots, and crosswalks. Speed cushions are different from them in many ways.

For instance, they reduce vehicular acceleration up to 25 mph, while speed bumps, humps, and tables reduce speed up to 15 mph. They have wheel cut-outs to allow the ambulance and other large vehicles to move without speed reduction, while other tools also reduce emergency vehicles’ speed.

They allow stormwater to move to drainage easily; others cause rainwater accumulation.

A red and white speed cushion, a black and yellow speed bump, speed hump, and speed table.

Discover here more about this topic: Speed Cushions vs. Speed Bumps, Humps, and Tables.

Speed Bumps, Humps, Tables, Cushions – What is the difference?

Speed cushions allow cyclists and bicyclists to move through the spacing and reach their destination without unwanted delays, while other tools don’t let cyclists move without slowing down.

Unlike other tools, they don’t affect emergency response time.

They are also not very aggressive on vehicles like other tools and cause less discomfort to drivers.

A black and yellow rubber speed bump, speed hump, and speed table, and a red and white speed cushion.

Discover here more about this topic: Speed Bumps, Humps, Tables, Cushions – What’s the difference?

How to install a speed cushion?

Mark the area with chalk and correctly arrange speed cushion modules on the pavement. Make sure they are exactly in the center of traffic lanes.

Grab a hammer drill and start drilling 7 to 9-inch long holes. Now, remove dirt and debris from these holes using an air compressor.

Pour a small amount of adhesive glue into holes and insert anchors. After this, insert the bolt-washer assembly and fix them with a drill.

Install speed limit signs a few feet ahead of speed cushions to inform city traffic about their presence. You can also use pavement markings to highlight these tools more.

A person is using a drilling machine to install a red speed cushion.

Discover here more about this topic: How to Install a Speed Cushion?

What are the dimensions of a speed cushion?

Speed cushions are manufactured in many dimensions, so people can choose the one that best meets their local speed cushion regulations.

You should select their height carefully; otherwise, they will damage the bottom of cars when they drive over them.

You can install speed cushions in many places to manage speeding vehicles and control traffic volume.

A six-part and a four-part speed cushion dimensions.

Discover here more about this topic: What are the Dimensions of a Speed Cushion?

How far apart should speed cushions be installed?

Two speed cushions should be at least 2 feet away from each other. It will give large vehicles enough space to move without any trouble.

You can install a single speed cushion or a pair of two, depending on the width of the road.

Common places where speed cushions are used include:

  • Pedestrian zone
  • Slow zone
  • Work zone
  • Traffic intersection
  • Roadway
  • Pedestrian crossing
  • Unmarked crosswalk
  • Uncontrolled intersection
A person is measuring the distance between two speed cushions.

Discover here more about this topic: How Far apart should Speed Cushions be Installed?

Famous traffic calming devices

There are different forms of traffic management and pedestrian safety devices, including:

  • Speed hump
  • Speed table
  • Traffic signs
  • Parking signs
  • Bollards
  • Wheel stops
  • Rumble strips
  • Traffic cones
  • Speed breakers
  • Traffic barriers
  • Speed signs
  • Road bumps
  • Road signs and markings
  • Traffic signals

It is advised to use highway safety tools that have a bright color or reflective tape. They will enhance their appearance and allow motorists to follow traffic speed limits properly.

A red rubber speed cushion, a black wheel stop with yellow reflective films, and a traffic sign.

Discover here more about this topic: What are the Most Famous Traffic Calming Devices?

Conclusion

Speed cushions are one of the most effective speed control tools with a raised section. They help reduce fatalities caused by road accidents.

Unlike a speed bump or hump, speed cushions have wheel cut-outs to allow large vehicle movement without speed reduction. They also do not obstruct the movement of cyclists and rainwater on roads.

Countries create speed cushion regulations to inform people what kind of speed cushion they are allowed to use. So, if you are planning to purchase these tools, you should first learn about your local speed cushion regulations.

Get in touch

The Speed Cushions Factory is a leading manufacturer of rubber speed cushions located in Qingdao, China.
Feel free to contact us!
We are always here to help!

Qingdao, Shandong Province, China.

sales@speed-cushion.com

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