Speed Cushions in Different American Cities

All the traffic calming measures, including speed humps, speed bumps, traffic cones, and speed cushions, have different regulations in different countries. You cannot just install them however you want. You must follow your area’s speed cushion rules to make the most of this tool.

Speed cushions are used in various cities in America for pedestrian safety and traffic safety purposes. Their spacing, dimensions, colors, and markings are always chosen according to city regulations.

Keep reading the article to learn what kind of speed cushions are used in city streets and roadways of Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Houston, Phoenix, and Mississauga.

Discover below our full range of  Speed Cushions!

Why are rubber speed cushions more and more popular in the US?

Like speed breakers, wheel stops, parking signs, bollards, and traffic barriers, speed cushions are also manufactured of numerous materials.

Some examples of these materials are:

• Recycled plastic
• Rubber
• Concrete
• Asphalt

Rubber speed cushions are more popular in the US than other traffic-control tools. It is because they are more advantageous in many ways. For instance:

• Rubber is a flexible material compared to plastic and concrete. That is why it has the least impact on vehicular wheels when they drive over it.
• Rubber is comparatively soft, so when wheels collide with it, they do not produce as much noise as concrete and plastic produce.
• It is tough and low-maintenance. It can last for years on traffic lanes and intersections. It will help you save maintenance costs and invest money in other ways to manage speed control needs.
• Rubber does not crack or chip if it is of high quality.
• It comes in several colors. Therefore, you will not have to use paint to color your speed cushions. Concrete speed cushions require paint that gets cracked after some time.
• Recycled rubber is eco-friendly. It helps you improve environmental conditions for future generations. The US government is emphasizing more on recyclable product usage. That is why the use of recycled rubber speed cushions is increasing there.

Speed cushions in Cincinnati

Different kinds of speed control devices, such as stop signs, traffic signals, reflective speed signs, and markings, are used in Cincinnati.

Speed cushions in this city have bright colors, like red, and they have reflective tapes to make them highly visible when there is no light. It allows drivers to view them on time and reduce their speed before they hit them.

These speed cushions allow Cincinnati emergency vehicles and buses to move through the spacing present between two speed cushions installed adjacent to each other.

Speed cushions in Philadelphia

Philadelphia speed cushions are 6 to 10 feet long and installed in the center of traffic lanes. Their height is never more than 3 inches.

The transportation department instructs speed cushion installers to also place speed limit signs before these tools on the sidewalk.

These signs will inform motorists, cyclists, and bicyclists about their presence and help reduce unexpected jolts vehicles experience when they drive over them at high speed. These signs also inform them about the speed limit they should follow while driving over the tool.

Speed cushions in Mississauga

Mississauga is a large city where municipalities keep improving their traffic management and traffic control devices to improve traffic conditions.

Here, speed cushions have reflective tape molded in the tool in different shapes to make them visible at night for drivers. Installers may also use pavement markings to make these speed-reduction tools more prominent.

Major roadways and streets in Mississauga have speed cushions. But if the tool is unavailable in your neighborhood and the number of road accidents increases, you should request your local municipality to install speed cushions. Transportation engineers will evaluate the problem and determine whether the area needs traffic calming techniques.

They may install speed cushions if the number of accidents due to overspeeding increases in your area.

Speed cushions in Houston

Speed cushions in Houston reduce vehicular speed up to 20 miles per hour (mph). They can be seen in various places, including roads, pedestrian crossings, roundabouts, and residential areas.

They have spacing that lets stormwater reach drainage without accumulating on roads. It helps prevent skidding accidents that result from driving over wet roads.

Municipalities in Houston instruct people to install a single speed cushion in a single traffic lane and a pair of speed cushions when there are two traffic lanes.

Speed cushions in Phoenix

Phoenix is one of the most populated cities in the US. Hence, there is a higher need to protect pedestrians and make roads safe.

The federal highway administration uses different kinds of speed cushions in various places where the risk of accidents is high, and city traffic speed needs to be managed.

They instruct people not to use road bumps and humps on emergency vehicle routes; instead, they should use speed cushions to improve the emergency response time of fire trucks and ambulances.

In Phoenix, speed cushions are often found in the following areas.

• Traffic circles
• Slow zone
• Work zone
• Unmarked crosswalk
• Complete streets
• Traffic intersection
• Pedestrian zone
• Pedestrian crossing
• Roadway
• Roundabout
• Cut-through

Why are speed cushions used in the US?

Speed cushions are very common in the US because of many reasons. Some of these reasons are:

• They are suitable for emergency vehicle routes because they do not reduce emergency vehicles’ speed. However, their raised section slows down passenger cars when they drive over them.
• They are manufactured in many sizes, colors, and designs. You can choose any size or design based on your individual needs.
• Speed cushions in the US help reduce several fatalities because they prevent over-speeding and encourage conscious driving in areas where pedestrians and vehicles are close to each other.
• They control vehicle traffic volume in areas where you cannot compromise pedestrian safety.
• They help divert the route of drivers. People generally avoid roads where speed-reduction tools are used. You can install speed cushions on busy routes where you want to reduce traffic volume by diverting the path of drivers.

What determines the cost of speed cushions in the US?

Speed cushions in the US are sold at different rates. Various elements govern their cost.

Some of these elements are:

• Material
• Size
• Design
• Manufacturer
• Additional features
• Customization

Additional features and customization increase speed cushion cost. Similarly, larger speed cushions are mostly costlier than smaller ones. Plastic and recycled rubber are economical materials compared to concrete and asphalt.

Conclusion

The use of passenger cars is increasing in the US. Therefore, there is a high need to use speed reduction tools to impose speed limits on vehicular drivers. Otherwise, the number of road accidents will start increasing.

Rubber speed cushions are popularly used in streets and roads in the US to make them pedestrian-friendly. They increase confidence among pedestrians to use bicycles and cycles to travel.

You should use speed cushions in your residential area to make it safe for all. Learn about speed cushion regulations in your area to purchase the most suitable product. Otherwise, you may end up causing more accidents instead of decreasing them.