KEEP CALM, GO SLOW: What were once known as 'speed bumps' have found new niches

Aug. 10—New "calming devices" have been added to more Tahlequah streets after discussions with first responders and city councilors determined their need.

Street Commissioner Kevin Smith said speed bumps, now often called calming devices, are meant to slow and control traffic in certain areas.

"They don't always work," said Smith. "There are some on Bliss Avenue where you can see some cars have hit it and you can just see they've been going so fast they've even damaged the road on the backside where they come down."

Smith said since adding a speed bump is considered to be modifying the street, an action has to be taken by a local legislative body for one to be placed. If the road is inside the city limits, it is up to the vote of the city council.

Placing these devices, Smith said, it is not as simple as just putting the speed bump in a random area on a street. When placing a speed bump, Smith said potential problems, such as damage to personal property and citizen hardships, are taken into account.

"They have to look at it and determine whether it's going to create any other additional hardships to the citizens' transportation routes," said Smith.

Most speed bump installations are brought on by the community's need, or want for one. An example is when someone goes to a city councilor and brings up a traffic-related issue on a certain street. The councilor will review the comment and discuss the option with Smith and the city planner, and possibly an engineer.

When a legislative body is discussing the addition of a new speed bump, Smith said they will take input from law enforcement, ambulance services, and the fire department to make sure it does not hinder their duties.

Police Chief Nate King said speed bumps impact the fire department more so than the police department.

"Those trucks are so heavy, with the water they haul in them, that if you hit a speed bump going 30 mph, with that much water in the back of the truck, you're going to tear stuff up," said King. "Obviously, if we hit them too hard, it's going to tear up our police cars, but it's not nearly the threat to our vehicles as it is to the fire department's."

King said he does not think the "calming devices" cause a major issue when vehicles are heading to an emergency site.

"In the grand scheme of things, 16 square miles is what Tahlequah is. But if we're driving across town and we have to slow down for one speed bump, that's going to add literally three or five seconds to our arrival, so it does not adversely affect our response times," said King.

Smith said Tahlequah has several calming devices throughout the community, including some considered to be temporary speed bumps. While there are several different types of speed bump, Smith said, Tahlequah usually employs those that are about 12 feet long and about 4 to 5 inches in height.

"The city invested several years ago in some temporary ones, and they've become more of a nuisance because they work their way out of the road and leave bolts sticking out, damaging tires and stuff like that," said Smith. "Most of those have been removed because they were such a nuisance."

Some places that should not have speed bumps are roads going around a corner or 100 feet in front of a stop sign, as there is already a device being used to slow traffic.

Smith said no new speed bumps will be installed in Tahlequah for the foreseeable future, except for the reinstallation of the calming devices on Ross Street and by Greenwood Elementary.