Source: Getty Images

Noteworthy Speed
Management Practices
Technical Report Documentation

TECHNICAL REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE (FORM DOT F 1700.7)

1. Report No. 2. Government

3. Recipient's Catalog No.
FHWA-SA-20-047 Accession No.

5. Report Date August 2020

4. Title and Subtitle
Noteworthy Speed Management Practices
6. Performing Organization Code

7. Author(s) Neal Hawkins, Shauna Hallmark 8. Performing Organization Report No.

9. Performing Organization Name and Address 10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS)
Institute of Transportation Engineers
1617 Eye Street NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20006 11. Contract or Grant No. DTFH6116D00055L

12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address

13. Type of Report and Period Covered
Office of Safety
Federal Highway Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
14. Sponsoring Agency Code
Washington, DC 2059

15. Supplementary Notes

FHWA Contracting Officer’s Task Order Manager: Guan Xu; ITE Project Manager: Lisa Fontana Tierney; ITE
Technical Programs Associate: Niloo Parvinasahtiani; ITE Technical Publications Manager: Deborah Rouse

16. Abstract
Speeding contributes to over a quarter of all road trauma and is a persistent driving behavior that brings harm
both to the vehicle occupants as well as other more vulnerable road users. In 2018, speeding related crashes
resulted in 9,378 deaths which is a staggering 26 percent of all crash fatalities.

Agencies who want to address speeding are often faced with a lack of resources in setting appropriate speeds
for conditions, pushback on changing speed limits, a lack of resources for countermeasures or enforcement, and
restrictions or opposition to alternate long-lasting enforcement options such as safety cameras.

This report provides another avenue of information for practitioners in that it summarizes eight case studies
which highlight noteworthy practices over a range of speed management issues.

17. Key Words Speed Management, Safety 18. Distribution Statement

19. Security Classif. 20. Security Classif,

(of this report) (of this page) 21. No. of Pages 41 22. Price
Unclassified Unclassified
Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION 4
Background 4
Summary of Case Studies 5
STRATEGIC SPEED MANAGEMENT PROGRAM 6
Background 6
The Challenges 7
Developing a Speed Management Program 7
Key Takeaways and Lessons Learned 8
SELF-ENFORCING ROADWAYS 10
Background 10
The Challenge 11
Key Takeaways and Lessons Learned 12
SETTING CREDIBLE SPEED LIMITS 13
Background 13
The Challenge 13
Working with Communities 14
Key Takeaways and Lessons Learned 15
HIGH VISIBILITY ENFORCEMENT 16
Background 16
The Challenge 16
Enforcement Actions 17
Key Takeaways and Lessons Learned 17
SUCCESSFUL STRATEGIES FOR ADOPTION OF SAFETY CAMERAS 18
Background 18
Strategies for Success 18
Implementation of Safety Cameras 19
Key Takeaways and Lessons Learned 19
TARGETED REPORTING OF SPEEDING-RELATED CRASHES 21
Background 21
The Problem 21
Redefining “Speeding-Related” 22
Key Takeaways and Lessons Learned 23
CONSISTENT SPEED LIMITS FOR VULNERABLE ROAD USERS 24
Background 24
Setting Consistent Speed Limits 24
Examples of Successful Applications 24
Charlotte, North Carolina 24
Portland, Oregon 25
Seattle, Washington 25
New York City, New York 26
Boston, Massachusetts 27
Other Examples 27
Key Takeaways and Lessons Learned 28
NETWORK APPROACH TO SETTING SPEED LIMITS 30
Background 30
The Problem 30
Developing Consistent and Evidence Based Speed Limits 30
What Happened Next 32
Key Takeaways and Lessons Learned 32
APPENDIX A: ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 33
APPENDIX B: SUMMARY OF ACTIVITIES 34
APPENDIX C: SPEED MANAGEMENT RESOURCES 36
Introduction

Source: Getty Images

Background
Speeding contributes to approximately one-third of all road Several recent documents have supported understanding
trauma and is a persistent driving behavior that brings harm speeding issues and offering well thought-out ways agencies
both to the vehicle occupants as well as other more vulnerable can advance the state of speed management addressing
road users. In 2018, speeding-related crashes resulted in 9,378 enforcement, education, engineering, and cultural realities3.
deaths which is a staggering 26 percent of all crash fatalities1. In addition, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Speeding is often also accompanied by distracted driving and offers a Speed Management Program course to State and
driving under the influence. For example, between midnight local jurisdictions, the Federal Highway Administration
and 3 a.m., 68 percent of speeding drivers involved in fatal (FHWA) offers a course on Speed Management through
crashes had been drinking2. Some suggest that progress on the National Highway Institute, and FHWA and the Institute
the issue of speeding is limited at best. of Transportation Engineers (ITE) have a number of Speed
Management resources for practitioners4.
Agencies who want to address speeding are often faced with a
lack of resources in setting appropriate speeds for conditions, The report provides another avenue of information for
pushback on changing speed limits, a lack of resources practitioners in that it summarizes eight case studies which
for countermeasures or enforcement, and restrictions or highlight noteworthy practices from across the U.S. over a
opposition to automated enforcement. range of speed management issues.

Noteworthy Speed Management Practices

4
Introduction

Summary of Case Studies

This document highlights eight noteworthy speed management practices across a range of areas from advocacy to
countermeasures. A brief summary of the noteworthy practices is provided in the table below.

Title Noteworthy Practice Takeaways

Strategic The City of Austin, TX identified speeding as • Integrated Vision Zero

Speed a key factor in 24% of fatal crashes. The area • Developed a speed management program
Management population is expected to double in 30 years
Program and vulnerable road users are overrepresented • Established key indicators and targeted achievement metrics
in fatal crash statistics. • Integrated approach including enforcement

Self-Enforcing The City of Golden, CO was faced with rebuilding • Self-enforcing speeds through new design
Roadways a critical urban arterial where the 85th percentile • Resulting lower speeds
speeds were 48 mph and the posted speed limit
was 35 mph. They also had to address a high • Improved safety for vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists
number of pedestrian and bicycle crashes and • Improved public spaces and positive impact on businesses
selected a self-enforcing roadway design which
includes roundabouts and a center median.

Setting New Hampshire DOT is working to promote • Setting credible speed limits through alignment with roadway context
Credible “reasonable and safe” speeds for conditions and in • Working together with enforcement
Speed Limits a number of instances found that raising the existing
speed limit was the appropriate solution. • Support for local agencies

High Visibility The Oro Valley Police Department created a • Enforcement through transparency and using an “educational”
Enforcement High Visibility Enforcement program designed initiative rather than a strict enforcement detail
to target intersections that have high crash rates. • Publishing future deployment dates through television, print,
The program is conducted as an educational radio, and social media
initiative for motorists in contrast to a traditional
• 27% crash reduction for two urban intersections
enforcement detail.

Successful Adoption of safety cameras is often difficult due • Use of a data-driven approach demonstrated their focus on safety
Strategies to legislative and public concerns. New York City • Safety cameras were one of many solutions to address the safety
for Adoption used a data-driven and comprehensive approach of pedestrians and other road users
of Safety to implement safety cameras in school zones.
• Advocacy groups played a significant role
Cameras

Targeted Arizona updated crash form coding instructions • Focused on addressing crashes by identifying contributing factors
Reporting of to distinguish between speeding-related • Countermeasures can be targeted to the cause of crash
Speeding- violations and those more appropriately defined (speeding versus impairment) allowing better allocation of resources
Related as impaired.
• Changing coding instructions provided consistency
Crashes

Consistent Provides an overview of how six agencies set • All agencies used a data-driven approach to setting speed limits
Speed Limits consistent speed limits to address vulnerable • Advocacy was a successful strategy for several agencies
for Vulnerable road users.
Road Users • Agencies addressed safety using a comprehensive approach
which included other countermeasures
• Consistent speed limits address driver expectancy

Network Discusses New Zealand’s network-wide • Developed network based speed limits that were evidence-
Approach to approach to developing speed limits which based and nationally consistent
Setting Speed assigns speed limits based on characteristics • Uses a measure of safety risk which can be communicated to
Limits such as roadway type, alignment, roadside stakeholders and the public
hazards, land use, etc.
• Used outreach and education

1 Speed. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. [Link]/topics/speed. Accessed April 2020.
2 Stop Speeding Before It Stops You. Traffic Safety Marketing. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. US Department of Transportation.
[Link]/get-materials/speed-prevention/stop-speeding-it-stops-you. Accessed April 2020.
3 Speeding Away from Zero: Rethinking a Forgotten Traffic Safety Challenge. Governors Highway Safety Association. January 2019.
4 Speed Management for Safety. Institute for Transportation Engineers. [Link]/technical-resources/topics/speed-management-for-safety. Accessed April 2020.

Noteworthy Speed Management Practices

5
Strategic Speed Management Program

CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS

ISSUE STRATEGIES TAKEAWAYS

➤ Speeding is the top contributing ➤ Adopted a citywide vision zero goal ➤ Comprehensive speed
factor in fatal crashes management activities
➤ Identified leading causes of fatal
➤ Vulnerable road users are and serious injuries ➤ Developed key indicators and
overrepresented in severe crashes targeted achievement metrics
➤ Defined High Injury Network
➤ Austin is experiencing significant ➤ Integrated effort including
➤ Engaged community
population growth enforcement
➤ Established speed management
program

Background
The City of Austin became a Vision Zero city in 2015 with
the goal of zero traffic-related fatalities for this rapidly
growing, diverse, and active community. Identifying a High
Injury Network (HIN) exposed that the majority of fatal and
serious injury crashes were occurring on collector and arterial
streets. This perspective helped focus their program beyond
neighborhoods and onto the more complex roadways which
made up their HIN1.

Addressing speed limits on the HIN required consideration

of the Texas Transportation Code which emphasizes an 85th
percentile method be used for setting speed limits with
allowances for other considerations, such as crash history and
high driveway desnsity. The city determined that these
considerations should be applied to roadways on the HIN based
on their urban settings and operations; therefore, the city will be Interior of speeding vehicle. Source: Getty Images
using USLIMITS2 extensively to support setting new speed limits
on collector and arterial roadways. This moment represents
a paradigm shift in how the city approaches transportation In addition, the Austin Police Department is using a data-
planning, codifying in city policy the preservation of human life driven approach towards enforcement strategies. This includes
as the paramount priority for Austin’s transportation network. participating in a Fatality Review Board, which meets monthly
Citizens are asking for their transportation network to be safe, to review all fatal crashes, and then meets quarterly to review
accessible, and inclusive for all members of the community. overall crash statistics and serious injury crashes2.
The city is determined to achieve this by promoting a culture of
safety education, focusing on behaviors that cause traffic injuries
and fatalities, and through integrating safe design principles
across their multimodal infrastructure1.

Noteworthy Speed Management Practices

6
Strategic Speed Management Program

Austin’s busy multimodal roadways. Image Source: Neal Hawkins

The Challenges Developing a Speed

Management Program
Speeding – In Austin, speeding was recorded as the primary
contributing factor in 24 percent of traffic crashes resulting in The objective of the Austin Transportation Department (ATD)
death from 2013 to 2017. Speeding is the leading contributor speed management program is to improve safety and enhance
to fatal crashes with the top four being speeding, failure to the livability of Austin streets through context-appropriate
yield, distraction, and driving while intoxicated. On average, speed reduction strategies2. ATD developed a framework
more than 70 people lose their lives on Austin area streets for their new Speed Management Program through several
each year, another 450 suffer life-altering injuries, and actions including a workshop with ITE and the Vision Zero
countless other crashes and near-misses are unreported. Network in February 2019 and in researching best practices
from national studies and other leading cities. This framework
Vulnerable Road Users – The city found that vulnerable relies on objective criteria, informed by community and policy
road users make up a disproportionate share of severe objectives, to prioritize streets with the most serious speeding
crashes. The proportion of all serious injury and fatal crashes problems for targeted speed mitigation strategies3. The seven
by mode are 61 percent motor vehicle, 17 percent pedestrian, key Speed Management Program elements are as follows:
16 percent motorcycle, and 6 percent bicycle. Austin’s African-
American population is also overrepresented given that their 1. Data and information
7 percent share of the population makes up 16 percent of the 2. A toolkit of engineering countermeasures
serious injury and fatal crashes1.
3. Methods for setting speed limits

Significant Growth – Since the last transportation plan 4. Holistic approach with education and enforcement
was adopted in 1995, Austin has added more than 450,000 5. Coordination with other programs
people and the region’s population is slated to double in the
6. Equity
next 30 years.
7. Evaluation

Noteworthy Speed Management Practices

7
Strategic Speed Management Program

This approach provides different tools and strategies by roadway • Street Levels 1 & 2 (neighborhood and collector streets)
contextual factors applied to street levels including the following: • Street Levels 3 & 4 (minor and major arterial roadways)

Images of several physical engineering countermeasures used are shown above: Rain Garden Bulb Out (top
left), Median and Speed Cushions (top right), and Mountable Traffic Circles (bottom). Source: City of Austin

Noteworthy Speed Management Practices

8
Strategic Speed Management Program

Key Takeaways and Lessons Learned

• Community Engagement – The final measures and • Indicators and Targets – The city has established
criteria used for the new speed management program specific measures to gauge achievement. For example,
framework included community conversations from three the indicator to “Reduce serious injury and fatal crashes
open houses, seven public meetings, and an online survey at locations where major capital improvement projects
that received more than 1,100 responses. have been implemented” is matched with a target to
“Achieve at least 40% reduction over a five-year period,
• High Injury Network – While all streets should function on average.”
with safe speeds, some streets have egregious and more
• Enforcement – Speeding is likely substantially
persistent speeding problems than others. Given limited
underreported as a contributing factor given the difficulty
resources, ATD will prioritize how and where to apply
in determining the actual travel speed of a vehicle after
speed management strategies.
a crash has occurred. Austin seeks to promote driver
• Behavior – Crash locations change but driver behaviors adherence to posted speed limits through coordinated
are constant. The city identified the top four behaviors education campaigns, targeted enforcement, and policy
contributing to serious injury and fatal crash and is reforms around use of automated enforcement tools.
focused on coordinating education and enforcement In addition, police officers can assign one or more
strategies to influence change. City policy seeks to contributing factors to a crash in their crash report. This
advance innovative approaches toward enforcing traffic information provides valuable insights into some of the
regulations and aligning penalties for traffic violations with human behaviors that most frequently contribute to
the severity of the offense. crashes. As an example, the rise in the use of alternative
transportation modes, such as electric scooters, creates a
• Target Speeds – Austin’s approach to speed management new data demand for traditional crash forms. Austin Police
begins with selecting safe target speeds for all streets are working with TxDOT to consider adding “scooter”
based on their context. Target speed refers to the speed at as a vehicle type on their crash form to quantify crash
which the city want cars to drive on the street. Surrounding experience, target enforcement, and to support selection
land uses, street width, traffic volumes, and alternate of potential safety improvements3.
transportation activity all affect the appropriate target
speed. Target speed informs the design speed which
is specific to geometric features or the elements of a
roadway necessary to achieve the target speed. Staff uses
design criteria that are at or below the target speed of a
given roadway. The posted speed limits are set to help
communicate and reinforce target speeds. After setting
the target speed, and implementing design speeds, staff
analyze operating speed, which refers to the observed
speed of motorists using the roadway. Using target instead
of operating speeds to influence the design speed allows
the community to prioritize safety and the agency to design
for safety in support of the goal to reduce the likelihood
that any crash will result in a fatal or serious injury.

1 Austin Strategic Mobility Plan. [Report]. Retrieved December 28, 2019 from [Link]
2 Miesse, Eric (July 21, 2019). Speed Management: Law Enforcement Perspective [Presentation]. Noteworthy Speed Management Practices,
ITE Annual Meeting, Austin, TX.
3 Spillar, Robert (June 24, 2019). Speed Management Program - Draft Framework [Memorandum]. City of Austin, TX.
[Link]

Noteworthy Speed Management Practices

9
Self-Enforcing Roadways

CITY OF GOLDEN, CO

ISSUE STRATEGIES TAKEAWAYS

➤ Major community corridor with ➤ Strategic approach with specific ➤ Reduced speeding
speeding and safety issues goals for all road users ➤ Improved safety for vehicles,
➤ Safety concerns for pedestrian and ➤ Self-enforcing design including pedestrians, and bicyclists
bicycles roundabouts and center median ➤ Improved public spaces and
➤ Businesses were concerned with positive impact on businesses
the impact of road modifications
especially with roundabouts

Background
A self-enforcing road is a roadway that is planned and designed
to encourage drivers to select operating speeds in harmony
with the posted speed limit. Properly designed self-enforcing
roadways can be effective in producing speed compliance and
may contribute to less severe crash outcomes1.

The City of Golden, Colorado is located west of Denver at the

base of the Rocky Mountains. It is both a residential community
as well as home to the Coors Brewery and Colorado School of
Mines. South Golden Road is one of the major arterials in town
with a long-standing history of being a major thoroughfare2.

In 1999, plans for a new shopping center along South Golden

Road elevated citizens’ concerns about traffic speeds as well
as pedestrian and bicycle safety along the corridor (see South
Golden Road photo).
South Golden Road before improvements.
Source: Dan Hartman, City of Golden, CO.
In response, the city rebuilt South Golden Road using design
elements to address speeding, access, and overall safety. The
self-enforcing design replaced traffic signals with roundabouts
and addressed vulnerable road user safety3.

South Golden Road after improvements.

Source: Dan Hartman, City of Golden, CO.

Noteworthy Speed Management Practices

10
Self-Enforcing Roadways

Golden, Colorado. Source: Getty Images

The Challenge
Design Process – The city considered a range of improvement
Prior to improvement - South Golden Road was a very wide (80
options, researched roundabout design opportunities, and then
foot) street to cross and consisted of four through lanes plus
gained feedback from the community through public meetings,
a center turn lane. The corridor was capable of handling the
discussions with businesses, and at public hearings with City
20,000 vehicles per day, however, the frequent points of access
Council. The resulting two design options were the following:
from business and side streets created operational and safety
issues. The half-mile section of South Golden Road included • Option 1: Traditional traffic signals with center medians
two signalized intersections at Johnson Road and Ulysses and restricted left turns. This option faced issues as it
Street and two stop-controlled intersections at Lunnonhaus restricted access to several businesses. In addition, the
Drive and Utah Street. The corridor was experiencing a large intersections were not advantageous for pedestrian
number of issues including speeding between intersections, and bike crossings.
traffic conflicts at intersections for vehicles, pedestrians, and • Option 2: Modern roundabout section with four
bicycles, and significant delays especially at Utah Street. Prior roundabouts, narrower roads through using center
to improvement, the posted speed limit was 35 mph and the medians, and restricted left turns. This option was shown
measured 85th percentile speed was 48 mph. The corridor to provide improved access for both businesses and
experienced an average of four crashes per month with at least vulnerable road users.
one of these involving an injury3.
The city’s efforts led to the ultimate choice for Option 2
Community Input - The city initiated a study that included (roundabouts) where the design supports speed compliance
community input to identify the most viable alternatives for even with a 25 mph speed limit in addition to enhancing
improvement. The study established the following goals for access, operations, and safety for all users. The roundabouts
South Golden Road: were constructed in 1998 - 1999 and were fully operational in
late 1999 (see South Golden Road after improvements photo).
• Reduce speed through the intersection
• Improve aesthetics
• Improve access for businesses and residential
neighborhoods
• Improve safety
• Create a pedestrian-friendly environment

Noteworthy Speed Management Practices

11
Self-Enforcing Roadways

Key Takeaways and Lessons Learned

before to just four crashes over 3.5 years after construction.
Once constructed, the city was pleased to report that the new • Positive Impact on Businesses – The evaluation found
design was in fact supporting speed compliance as well as that the new design positively impacted the adjacent
safety as noted by several metrics. business community in terms of fostering new development,
• Reduced Vehicle Speeds – Reduction of 85th percentile redevelopment, and increased traffic volumes4.
speed from 48 to 33 mph. • Enhanced Community Space – The project provided an
• Less Delay – Reduction in average delay—the time it opportunity to aesthetically enhance the corridor through
takes to drive the half-mile—is lower even with a 15 mph the removal of the sea of asphalt. The roundabout
speed reduction. The design also helped to eliminate the design provides space for fountains, statues, landscaped
large queues experienced from adjacent parking lots. medians, and community art.
• Reduction in Crashes – Both crash frequency and severity • Important Educational Component – The city
were lowered even with increased traffic from the new developed an educational brochure that was mailed
shopping center. The improvement reduced total crashes to every resident and placed in racks within businesses
per month by 36 percent and injuries per month by 97 stressing how to navigate a roundabout for both
percent (analysis included 36 months before and 42 vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists.
months after the improvement).
The City of Golden established corridor goals that resulted
• Improved Pedestrian Access – Pedestrian safety was
in eliminating a very wide, high-speed roadway that was
improved through reduced crossing times with few
experiencing safety and mobility issues. Instead of adding
conflicts. Given that traffic only comes from one direction,
more traffic signals and stepping up police enforcement due
smaller gaps are required due to reduced vehicle speeds,
to increasing vehicle speeds, they chose a roadway redesign
and the elimination of conflicts with turning traffic (see
including roundabouts and medians which was found to not
improved pedestrian access photo).
only improve both operations and safety but to also provide
• Bicycle Safety – The corridor improvements did not include a showcase community space which is aesthetically pleasing
separate bike lanes; however, there was a significant reduction and has continued to accommodate all users in terms of traffic
in bike related crashes going from 78 crashes over the 5 years growth and safety.

1 Donnell, Eric., Kersavage, Kristin., Fontana Tierney, Lisa. Self-Enforcing Roadways: A Guidance Report (Report No. FHWA-HRT-17-098).
McLean, VA: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, January 2018.
2 City of Golden. South Golden Road Neighborhoods Plan. Planning Commission Resolution No. PC15-01, 2016.
[Link]
3 Hartman, Dan. Roundabouts – Safety, Business Impact and Growth [Presentation], June 2013.
4 Ariniello, A. J. Are Roundabouts Good for Business? In Transportation Research Board National Roundabout Conference, Vail Colorado, December 2004.

Noteworthy Speed Management Practices

12
Setting Credible Speed Limits

NEW HAMPSHIRE DOT

ISSUE STRATEGIES TAKEAWAYS

➤ Legacy speed limits ➤ Coordination between DOT and ➤ Alignment of speed limits with
local agencies roadway context
➤ Setting credible speed limits
➤ Engineering, enforcement, and ➤ Working together with enforcement
➤ Supporting local agencies
educational approach ➤ Support for local agencies
➤ Team effort

Background The Challenge

There is a general consensus that where traffic speeds are a
New Hampshire DOT (NHDOT) is working to promote
concern, lowering the speed limit is the perceived solution even
“reasonable and safe” speed limits for conditions and in a
if it is understood that the requested speed limit value is well
number of instances found that raising the existing speed limit
below what is considered “reasonable and safe” for conditions.
was the appropriate solution.

Decades of questionable speed limit practice have resulted

Establishing and managing credible speed limits impacts
in a network of speed limits that are not always credible with
safety. Community safety often suffers when we reduce speed
respect to actual conditions thus contributing to a culture that
limits in reaction to an event without considering the context
treats the speed limit as a minimum, not a maximum value.
and operations of the roadway. Educating the public one
town or one highway segment at a time takes a lot of effort
This culture is often reinforced through the actions of the
and it is not always received well. However, when explaining
courts where law enforcement is rumored to be forced to
why a speed limit should fit the character of the roadway,
include a tolerance of as much as 10-15 mph over the posted
the NHDOT has been pleasantly surprised by the number of
speed limit to secure speeding convictions. (B. Lambert, letter
people that seem to “get it.” (B. Lambert, interview with the
to DOS/Chiefs of Police, November 5, 2019).
author, December 30, 2019).

NHDOT has worked with a number of communities to address

locations where posted speed limits were out of character
for the conditions thus creating both safety and enforcement
concerns. Table 1 shows the excessive speeds observed where
posted speeds were ultimately increased.
Table 1. Spot speed study examples

Speeds (mph)
Roadway
Posted 85th Percentile Difference

US Route 3 at NH Route 28 40 58 18

Wakefield NH 153 35 49 14

Wakefield NH 153 35 46 11

Wakefield NH 153 35 47 12

Hancock, US Route 202 45 55 10

Hancock, US Route 202 40 56 16

Candia, NH Route 27 35 48 13

Noteworthy Speed Management Practices

13
Setting Credible Speed Limits

NHDOT has reviewed—and where appropriate—increased

speed limits within a number of communities based on traffic
and engineering investigations. For example, within the
communities of Wakefield and Candia, the posted speeds
were changed from 35 to 45 mph.

Specific to Candia, records indicated that the 35 mph speed

limit was established at approximately the same time as when
traffic signals were installed (roughly 1967). Current practice
would not consider the presence of a traffic signal as a reason
for reducing the speed limit. The Bureau of Traffic conducted
an engineering and traffic investigation with the MUTCD
practice for determining credible speed limits being that they
are set within 5 mph of the measured 85th percentile speed.
NHDOT also used a web-based program produced by FHWA,
Curve warning signage in Wakefield, NH. USLIMITS2, to compare the results. This considered several
Image Source: Bill Lambert, NHDOT other factors, including traffic volume, road character, and crash
history to determine a recommended speed limit.
When NHDOT presents this information to communities,
they also show how speed limits have a relationship with On review of the engineering and traffic investigation with
other traffic control devices. For example, required passing enforcement, there was agreement that increasing the posted
sight distance and curve warning signage are a function of speed limit through the traffic signal controlled intersection
the posted speed limit and mid-block crosswalks are not to 45 mph would be more credible, and therefore more
allowed where posted speed limits are greater than 40 mph enforceable, than the current 35 mph speed limit. The new
(see Curve warning signage photo). 45 mph posted speed required that the nearby traffic signals
adjust for “dilemma zone” protection.
NHDOT also emphasizes to communities that speed limits
need to be credible for the character of the road, including In Wakefield, the local police chief struggled to enforce the
horizontal and vertical geometry, lane widths, on-street parking, 35 mph speed limit. If motorists were stopped and ticketed at
roadside amenities, adjacent land uses, and all roadway users. 45-50 mph, they were essentially penalized for traveling at a
speed that was reasonable and safe for conditions; however,
A credible speed limit should result in voluntary compliance if they were stopped and ticketed at 60-65 mph, a speed
by the majority of drivers based on these criteria. They note that was considered marginally excessive, they were required
that if there is a desire to have lower speeds, it can only be to appear in court and faced a much stiffer penalty due to
achieved if the character of the road is also changed. the fact that they were stopped at 25 mph over the posted
speed limit. The DOT worked cooperatively with local police
to complete an engineering and traffic investigation that
Working with Communities supported increasing the speed limit to 45 mph.

One thing that NHDOT always points out to communities is Prior to replacing the speed limit signs, the DOT evaluated
that by recommending an increase in the speed limit, they the horizontal alignment signing and passing zones based
are not advocating that traffic speeds be increased beyond on the proposed speed limit and determined that an
existing conditions, they are advocating that speed limits additional 200 horizontal alignment signs were added over
reflect the true nature of the segment so they are more likely approximately 12 miles, arguably providing additional safety
to be respected as a reasonable and safe maximum. information for the majority of drivers1.

Noteworthy Speed Management Practices

14
Setting Credible Speed Limits

Key Takeaways and Lessons Learned • Engineering – The effort begins with engineering as speed
limits need to be credible for the character of the road,
including horizontal and vertical geometry, lane widths, on-
• Legacy Speed Limits –There is a lot of attention given street parking, roadside amenities, and adjacent land uses.
to highway speed and related safety concerns. In some Enforcement presents a different set of challenges. Speed
cases, agencies are faced with legacy speed limits studies completed by the Department of Transportation
which were lowered in reaction to a safety event without routinely demonstrate that the majority of motorists
consideration of motorists’ compliance, the roadway operate at speeds in excess of the posted speed limit.
setting, and multiple years of crash history. Education may be the broadest category and the least
defined as there are a number of areas where education
• Culture – The collective challenge is to develop a
can be applied to address speed management.
culture where the posted speed limit is recognized and
respected as the maximum safe and reasonable speed for • Team Effort – NHDOT recommends that effective speed
the subject highway segment, especially when there are management be a joint effort between the State DOT,
examples of locations where that is not the case. Office of Highway Safety, Division of Motor Vehicles and
Public Safety, and the New Hampshire Chiefs of Police
with a focus on engineering, enforcement, and especially
education. There may be additional highway safety
advocates that could also be effective partners in this
effort, many of whom are identified as stakeholders in the
state Strategic Highway Safety Plan.

1 Lambert, William. Speed Limits and Setting State Speed Zones: Selectmen’s Meeting [Presentation]. Candia, NH, November 14, 2016.

Noteworthy Speed Management Practices

15
High Visibility Enforcement

CITY OF ORO VALLEY, ARIZONA

ISSUE STRATEGIES TAKEAWAYS

➤ High crash urban intersections ➤ High visibility enforcement ➤ 27% crash reduction for two urban
advertised in advance intersections
➤ Repeated distracted driver
behavior leading to avoidable ➤ Educational messaging with ➤ Media partnership
crashes every stop ➤ Public transparency
➤ Negative public view of ➤ Constant dialogue with media ➤ Significant educational awareness
enforcement actions and citizens

Background
The Oro Valley Police Department (OVPD) has created a data-
driven initiative to improve traffic safety in the town of Oro
Valley, Arizona. The program is called “HiVE” or High Visibility
Enforcement, designed to target intersections that have high
crash rates. HiVE is described as an “educational” initiative
rather than a strict enforcement detail with the following two
primary components:
1. OVPD publishes HiVE’s future deployment dates and
times to television, print, radio, and social media. This is
to alert the community about the increased visibility of law
enforcement and to improve communications between
the police and citizens. Partnering with local media is a
key component of the HiVE.

2. During scheduled deployments, OVPD places six

motorcycle officers in and around the targeted
intersections. Motorcycle officers actively enforce traffic
violations during peak travel times. The graphic below HiVE enforcement using motorcycles.
shows the HiVE logo developed for communications and Image Source: ORO Valley Police
program identification.

OVPD reminds motorists not to engage in distracted driving or

other driving behaviors that contribute to avoidable injury or
fatal vehicle crashes.

The Challenge
When injury crashes reached an all-time high in Oro Valley, the
Police Department held its first series of HiVE deployments for
its motorcycle officers with the goal of increasing awareness HiVE logo used for communications.
and safety. At that time, two intersections, see Table 1 Source: Oro Valley Police
accounted for roughly 20 percent of all injury-related crashes
so the department sought to change driving behavior by
• Demonstrating intent to educate and train versus holding
implementing the following1:
a punitive “ticket writing campaign”
• Raising awareness by bringing attention to the problem
• Showing transparency by warning the public about
• Having law enforcement present and highly visible to deployments and publishing the police deployment actions
the public

Noteworthy Speed Management Practices

16
High Visibility Enforcement

Enforcement Actions
The Oro Valley Police Department (OVPD) will be
Over a 3-year period, OVPD conducted 142 HiVE conducting its “High Visibility Enforcement” (HiVE) efforts
deployments resulting in 4,005 traffic stops. Given the focus during the months of April and May on Oracle Road and
on education, this resulted in only 1 in 5 drivers receiving a Magee. OVPD hopes to increase awareness and reduce
moving violation citation. OVPD made a concerted effort to be collisions related to speed, inattention, following too
transparent in the results of each deployment and in providing close, and failing to yield to other drivers.
a 3-year analysis of crashes since the program began.
OVPD will deploy motorcycle officers on the following dates:

Key Takeaways and Lessons Learned Tuesday, April 16, 2019 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

Thursday, May 2, 2019 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

OVPD is working hard to show transparency to the public and to
Tuesday, May 14, 2019 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
work with media outlets on the HiVE program. However, since (distracted driving
this is a continuous program, it takes repeated efforts to ensure deployment)
that messaging is consistent and that it accurately reflects the
Wednesday, May 29, 2019 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
program’s intent. Several lessons learned include the following:

Diligent Messaging – Do not let the media change the Motorists are asked to be aware of the additional
message. The police department has to be diligent in avoiding enforcement activity and drive safely. If you have any
negative messaging such as: questions about this release or traffic related issues in Oro
Valley, please contact (Officer Name, Phone Number).
• “Oro Valley police officers working speed zones.”
• “Speed-trap at Oracle and Magee today.”
Example public message in advance of enforcement actions.
• “OVPD looking for speeders this morning.”
Data Driven – OVPD conducted a study, measuring crashes
When these messages appear OVPD works with the media
before and during the HiVE program as shown in Table 1. On
outlets to make sure citizens are informed well ahead of any
average, these two signalized intersections experienced 25
deployments and to stress the education components, (see
fewer crashes each year. A comparison of injury related crashes
example public message months in advance of deployment2).
showed a 42 percent reduction at Oracle Road and Suffolk Drive
and 15 percent reduction at Oracle Road and Magee Road.

Long Term Focus – OVPD continues to operate the

HiVE program and believe that it is making a difference
increasing awareness and reducing avoidable crashes
related to speed, inattention, following too close, and
failing to yield to other drivers.

Table 1. Crash frequency comparison before and during HiVE

Intersection Pre-HiVE (2010-2012) HiVE (2013-2015) Crash Reduction

Oracle Rd. at Suffolk Dr. 124 72 -42%

Oracle Rd. at Magee Rd. 144 123 -15%

Intersections Combined 268 195 -27%

1 Sharp, Daniel. High Visibility Enforcement [Presentation]. Noteworthy Speed Management Practices webinar. ITE, June 13, 2019.
2 High Visibility Enforcement (HIVE) April and May Deployments, Town of Oro Valley, 10 April 10, 2019.
[Link]

Noteworthy Speed Management Practices

17
Successful Strategies for Adoption of Safety Cameras

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

ISSUE STRATEGIES TAKEAWAYS

➤ Adoption of safety cameras is ➤ Data-driven approach ➤ 63% decrease in speed
often difficult due to legislative and ➤ Advocacy ➤ 55% decrease in fatalities
public concerns
➤ Comprehensive approach ➤ 60% decrease in violations

New York City faced typical oppositions to safety cameras

such as legislative restrictions and citizen resistance. They
successfully instituted a safety camera program in school
zones through several strategies.

Strategies for Success

Data-Driven Approach
The first factor for success in NYC’s adoption of safety cameras
and addressing crashes in general was the use of a data-driven
approach. For instance, the New York Police Department (NYPD)
combats traffic crashes by identifying traffic violations that
have the greatest impact on crash severity and then focuses on
changing the driver behaviors that contribute to these crashes.

Under Vision Zero, crash data were utilized to identify the

following six violations that had the greatest impact on safety3:
• speeding
• failure to yield to a pedestrian
• red light running
Safety Camera. Source: Getty Images
• improper turning
• cell phone use
Background • disobeying signs
Speed is a persistent traffic safety issue; particularly in areas with
high pedestrian and/or bike users. One effective enforcement Corridors for improvements were identified based on
strategy that has been utilized is Automated Speed where pedestrian deaths and severe injuries were the most
Enforcement (ASE), more recently termed “safety cameras.” concentrated4 and in some cases challenged conventional
wisdom about what streets had safety issues. For safety
However, agencies have often struggled with implementing cameras, sites were selected by ranking school zones
safety cameras due to citizen concerns, legislative resistance, according to the number of traffic injuries during school hours
speeding not being perceived as a safety issue, and privacy on school days. Site selection also included the use of speed
issues1. Implementation has also battled the perception that data, roadway geometry, engineering judgment, and areas
automated enforcement is a “money grab.” identified within Pedestrian Safety Action Plans5.

Due to the high number of pedestrians and bicyclists, New Advocacy and Outreach
York City (NYC) had a particular interest in the use of safety Another factor for success was the active participation of
cameras. In 2013, pedestrian and bicyclist crashes accounted advocacy and community organizations. Groups such as
for 28 percent of all police reported crashes but made up 65 Transportation Alternatives and Families for Safe Streets
percent of fatalities in New York City. Additionally, unsafe helped elevate road safety as a priority of the city. Advocacy
speed was noted as a contributing factor in 7 percent of all included events, petitions, use of technical statistics along
crashes but accounted for 25 percent of fatal crashes2. with personal stories, and even working with faith-based
organizations within communities5,6.

Noteworthy Speed Management Practices

18
Successful Strategies for Adoption of Safety Cameras

Another example was a joint venture between the NYPD and Implementation of Safety Cameras
NYDOT to conduct on-street outreach. The Vision Zero Street
Teams identify corridors with a significant crash history and New York conducted a safety camera pilot program in 20
pinpoint the types of crashes that occur. Next, the NYPD and school zones starting in 2013, using fixed and mobile cameras.
NYDOT staff distribute fliers to pedestrians and drivers with A data-driven approach was used to determine locations.
safety tips that correspond to the most serious crashes along Cameras were placed on streets within a quarter mile of
that corridor. The NYPD also targets enforcement resources to selected schools. The system was specifically targeted to
address the violations related to identified crash types3. school safety. The cameras operate 1 hour before and 1 hour
after school activities and the speed threshold was set at 10
Other advocacy and outreach strategies include ads on mph over the speed limit. Additionally, data collected from
television, radio, bus stops, and billboards to educate the program cannot be used for unrelated purposes.
aggressive drivers about the consequences of negative
behavior. Results have shown 72 percent of drivers recall The program was expanded to 140 school speed zones
having seen the media campaign5. in 20145 and will further expand to be the largest urban
network of safety cameras in the US (2,000 cameras in 750
Advocacy was also critical in the initial implementation areas within a quarter mile of a school)8. More recently hours
of the safety cameras. Later when NYC’s authority to use of operation were expanded9.
safety cameras was set to expire in July 2018 after the state
legislature failed to reach a compromise on extension, NYC use of safety cameras has shown significant success. A
advocacy groups pushed for a special session to vote on the 63 percent decrease in speed in school zones where safety
proposed bill. Advocacy groups directly contacted legislators cameras were present has been reported. Additionally, a 15
to encourage them to vote7. The bill was ultimately passed. percent decrease in crashes, a 17 percent reduction in injuries,
and a 55 percent reduction in fatalities have occurred in school
Comprehensive Approach zones with safety cameras5. By 2018, the daily rate of camera
Another important factor for success was the use of a violations had decreased by 60 percent and only 19 percent of
comprehensive approach. Safety cameras were one piece of violations are repeat offenders3.
a comprehensive strategy4 to address pedestrian and bicyclist
safety. For instance, NYC was the first to implement a Vision Zero NYC has also reported success in addressing pedestrian safety
policy. This included developing a pedestrian safety action plan overall. From 2008 to 2017 pedestrian fatalities in urban areas
for each of the City’s five boroughs. Safety engineering projects nationally increased by around 46 percent. Over that same
were completed in areas with high rates of severe pedestrian time period, pedestrian fatalities in NYC dropped 31 percent.
crashes. NYC was able to implement countermeasures at almost Additionally, a 36 percent decline in pedestrian fatalities has
90 percent of priority corridors and intersections and 461 safety occurred at Vision Zero priority locations4.
engineering projects have been completed4.

Engineering strategies have included the installation of

Key Takeaways and Lessons Learned
Leading Pedestrian Interval (LPI) which gives crossing
Data driven – Successful adoption of safety cameras was
pedestrians a “head start” before vehicles begin to turn with
due to NYC being able to respond to the key concerns about
around 2951 LPIs installed4. Left turn speed management
them. One strategy was use of a data-driven approach which
was also instituted based on findings of a study of the
highlighted the crash problem and focused on areas where
interaction between left turn speeds and pedestrian safety
safety issues existed. Camera locations were also selected
and included the use of paint, flexible delineators, and rubber
using a data driven strategy.
speed bumps. Other engineering countermeasures include
bus boarding islands, speed cushions, dedicated bike lanes,
Comprehensive strategy – NYC also used a comprehensive
roadway redesign, raised crosswalks, rubber pedestrian refuge
approach to address safety from a broad perspective which
islands offset crossings, and improved lighting3,4.
included utilizing a number of other countermeasures.
This demonstrated safety cameras were just one piece of
Enforcement has also played a role. In addition to playing a
a larger strategy to address safety. Additionally, the use of
key role in Vision Zero, NYPD assesses speeding conditions in
a comprehensive approach addressed the problem from
conjunction with the NYDOT and identifies solutions including
multiple angles rather than relying on one solution.
increased enforcement.

Noteworthy Speed Management Practices

19
Successful Strategies for Adoption of Safety Cameras

School Children crossing a street in NYC. Source: Getty Images

Advocacy – Another key strategy was extensive outreach Safety camera thresholds – Although not specific to the NYC
and advocacy activities. Educating the public helps them case study, a general takeaway from the application of safety
understand the problem and get buy-in. Citizen advocates cameras is the use of thresholds. Most agencies set the system
were key since they demonstrated to both legislators and the to activate at some threshold over the posted speed limit. This
public that speeding is a concern. is generally 5 or 10 mph over. In the NYC program, a 10 mph
threshold was utilized. Selecting a threshold over the speed limit
Continued vigilance – Another lesson learned is that is a typical approach, since most agencies do not want to ticket
continued vigilance is needed. After initial implementation drivers right at the speed limit. It also allays concerns that the
in 2013, NYC’s authority to use safety cameras was set to system is unfairly ticketing drivers and being used for revenue.
expire in July 2018 after the state legislature failed to reach a However, once drivers become aware of the threshold, in reality,
compromise on extension. This required additional effort by the target speed for drivers is likely to be the threshold limit
the city and advocacy groups to ensure the program stayed rather than the actual speed limit. As a result, agencies should
active and was ultimately expanded. consider what the target speed is in selecting a threshold.

1 Miller, Richard, and J. Scott Osberg, Richard Retting, McKenzie Ballou, Randolph Atkins. System Analysis of Automated Speed Enforcement Implementation.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Office of Behavioral Safety Research. DOT HS 812 257. April 2016.
2 Summary of New York City Motor Vehicle Crashes, New York State Department of Motor Vehicle Crashes. 2013. [Link]
3 Vision Zero NYC. Vision Zero Year 5 Report. March 2019. [Link]/assets/visionzero/downloads/pdf/[Link].
4 Vision Zero NYC (2019a). Borough Pedestrian Safety Action Plans Vision Zero Update. [Link]/html/dot/downloads/pdf/[Link]
5 Automated Speed Enforcement Program Report 2014-2017. New York City DOT. June 2018. [Link]/html/dot/downloads/pdf/[Link]
6 Transportation Alternatives. [Link]/citywide. Accessed December 2019.
7 Colon, Dave. “As speed camera deadline looms, advocates turn up heat on New York pols.” Curbed, New York. July 20, 2018.
[Link]/2018/7/20/17596566/nyc-speed-camera-legislation-transit-advocates
8 Hu, Winnie. “2,000 Cameras Will Be Watching How You Drive in New York City.” The New York Times. July 1, 2019.
[Link]/2019/07/01/nyregion/[Link]
9 Plitt, Amy. “NYC’s expanded speed camera program to take effect July 11.” Curbed, New York. May 24, 2019.
[Link]/2019/5/24/18638686/new-york-speed-camera-program-vision-zero

Noteworthy Speed Management Practices

20
Targeted Reporting of Speeding-Related Crashes

ARIZONA DOT

ISSUE STRATEGIES TAKEAWAYS

➤ Coding of Speed Too Fast ➤ Data-driven approach ➤ Speeding-related locations can be
for Conditions on crash forms identified
➤ Acknowledged variability in
may include impaired/weather coding crash forms ➤ Countermeasures can be targeted
related crashes to the cause of crash (speeding
➤ Updated coding instructions to
➤ Situations exist where no speed is versus impairment) allowing
provide more concrete guidance
safe and may be better addressed better allocation of resources
by countermeasures other than ➤ More consistency in coding
those targeted to speeding

Background
Speed Too Fast for Conditions (STFC) is a field provided
on most agency crash forms. The intent is to label scenarios
where a driver was traveling below the posted speed limit but
the speed at the time of the crash was not appropriate for
prevailing environmental conditions and was a contributor to
the crash. However, significant variations exist in interpreting
the definition of the environment when coding crash forms. As
a result, it is often left to the attending officer’s interpretation.

The Problem
In Arizona, historically STFC was defined as “Traveling at a
speed that was unsafe for the road, weather, traffic or other Speeding Vehicle. Source: Getty Images
environmental conditions at the time.” In many cases, an
officer would include the behavioral or human environment
Around one-third of Arizona fatal crashes were coded as
and could interpret driver incapacity (Driving Under the
speeding related between 2012 and 2016 and over 53 percent
Influence (DUI), impaired, distracted, fatigued) as a condition
of those fatal crashes were also coded as impaired but below
that would warrant traveling at a lower speed regardless of
the posted speed limit1,2,3.
actual roadway conditions. For instance, a drunk driver on dry
daytime roads traveling under the speed limit could be coded
Correcting the interpretation of behavioral conditions would
as Speed Too Fast for Conditions if the officer felt the state
have removed crashes such as DUI (53 percent), distracted
of impairment warranted a lower speed. Depending on the
(4 percent), sleeping or fatigued (3 percent) that were not
attending officer’s interpretation, there may be scenarios in
marked as exceeding the posted limit and where no speed
which no speed is safe for conditions1.
would have otherwise been reasonable. This would have
While it is important to address these crashes, solutions
reduced the number of crashes during this period that were
should focus on the root cause of the crash when feasible.
coded as speeding related (Speed exceeded the limit and
Countermeasures geared specifically towards speeding, such
STFC) from over 33 percent down to approximately 11 percent
as Dynamic Speed Feedback Signs (DSFS), lane narrowing, or
of total fatalities.
use of landscaping, may be less effective when the driver is
impaired. Rather areas with a high number of impaired crashes
As a result, Arizona made the decision to address the issue
should be targeted with countermeasures that address the
by providing clear instructions and training that would
impairment, such as enforcement.
remove DUI and other impaired crashes from the category of
STFC. In this manner locations with actual speeding-related
issues can be better targeted1.

Noteworthy Speed Management Practices

21
Targeted Reporting of Speeding-Related Crashes

Officer uses driver information to complete a traffic ticket. Source: Getty Images

Redefining “Speeding-Related” 4% 3%
STFC & Fatigued
STFC & Distracted
Arizona adapted coding instructions for their crash form for
the field Speed Too Fast for Conditions. The new instructions
define STFC as the following:

“Traveling at a speed that was unsafe for the road,

weather, traffic or other environmental conditions at 17%
the time. This does not include behavioral conditions Exceeding
Posted
such as distraction, impairment, fatigue, falling asleep
or other violations that would otherwise make any 53%
speed unreasonable”. DUI

Based on the new instructions, crashes where impairment,

23%
Other STFC
fatigue, or other behavioral issues are the main contributor
are coded as impairment. Crashes with an impaired driver can
still be coded “Exceeding the Posted Speed Limit” when both
conditions are met1.

In the future, officers and agencies will be able to use the data
to identify locations with a high number of speeding-related Fatal Crashes in Arizona.
crashes which actually represent a speeding problem. In this Data Source: King, 2018; ADOT, 2016
manner, automated enforcement and other speeding-related
countermeasures can be applied and are expected to be more
effective. For instance, ADOT is evaluating speed limit decals Percentage of fatal crashes
on State Route 347 where a review of crash reports indicated coded as STFC decreased by
drivers were cited as STFC in more than half of crashes along
this section of roadway4.
more than 1/3 after changing the
crash form instructions.

Noteworthy Speed Management Practices

22
Targeted Reporting of Speeding-Related Crashes

Key Takeaways and Lessons Learned

Arizona came to this realization as they considered how
Addressing crash contributing factors to target speeding-related crashes could be addressed. As a result,
countermeasures – Although both Speed Too Fast for they found a solution that allows them to focus on the root
Conditions and Exceeded the Posted Speed Limit represent cause of the crash when feasible. The ability to parse crashes
important safety issues, in most cases they represent two by situations where speeding-related countermeasures are
vastly different situations. In many cases, STFCs are either effective versus situations, such as impaired driving, where
impaired drivers or weather related situations. Since neither countermeasures such as targeted enforcement are effective is
scenario is usually tied to a specific roadway section, it important because it allows agencies to better focus resources.
is difficult to target site-based countermeasures. More
importantly, many speed management countermeasures may Consistency in coding – Arizona also made the decision to
not be suited to the problem. For instance, DSFS or safety update the crash form rather than relying solely on additional
cameras are set to activate at speed thresholds set for dry training for officers in how to better code STFC. This was
conditions. As a result, an impaired driver involved in a crash successful since, even with training, significant variation can
or a driver traveling too fast for weather conditions could be exist in how officers interpret fields on a crash form. As a
coded by the attending office as STFC yet be traveling below result, the updated crash form provides more consistency.
the thresholds set to activate DSFS or safety cameras. This
may lead to utilizing countermeasures which would have no
impact on these types of crashes. Other speed management
countermeasures, such as lane narrowing or pavement
markings, may similarly not be well suited in these situations if
drivers are cognitively impaired.

1 King, Jeff. Speeding Related Collision Data: It May Not Be Telling You What You Think Presentation at the 2018 FHWA Safety Discipline Seminar.
2 ADOT. 2015 Motor Vehicle Crash Facts for the State of Arizona Arizona Department of Transportation,
Transportation Systems Management and Operations. June 2016. [Link]/sites/default/files/2018/10/[Link]
3 ADOT. 2018 Motor Vehicle Crash Facts for the State of Arizona. Arizona Department of Transportation,
Transportation Systems Management and Operations. June 2019.
4 Giulliano, Tina. ADOT tests speed limit decals on highway pavement. AZFamily. Sept 20, 2019.
[Link]

Noteworthy Speed Management Practices

23
Consistent Speed Limits for Vulnerable Road Users

Examples from Various Agencies

ISSUE STRATEGIES TAKEAWAYS

➤ Ped/bike crashes are a particular ➤ Data-driven approach which made ➤ Comprehensive approach
safety issue for many cities a case for how lower speed limits demonstrated reductions were part
would impact vulnerable road users of larger strategy
➤ Inconsistent speed limits violate
driver expectancy ➤ Advocacy played a key role ➤ Consistent speeds address driver
expectancy
➤ Most agencies also addressed
speed limits as part of a ➤ Outreach activities were also used
comprehensive plan that included
other speed management solutions

Background
Speed limits are sometimes inconsistent within a jurisdiction for
similar roadways. In some cases, this is because speed limits are
applied to roadway sections based on characteristics which may
not be obvious to the driver. For instance, speed limits on one
roadway classified as a collector are set at 35 mph while another
collector with similar characteristics is set at 30 mph due to a higher
crash history. Since both appear similar to drivers, they are likely to
apply the speed they believe is the most suitable to both roadways.

In other cases, as noted by “Methods and Practices for

Setting Speed Limits: An Informational Report,” varying
levels of experience, use of different procedures, as well as
subjective procedures for determining speed limits can lead
to inconsistencies in setting speed limits within or between
jurisdictions1. In either case, inconsistency violates driver
expectancy and can lead to drivers disregarding speed limits.

Setting Consistent Speed Limits

Consistent speed limits on roadways with similar functions and Speed Limit Sign Source: Getty Images
characteristics assist drivers in developing good driving habits.
As a result, drivers understand what is expected when they Examples of Successful Applications
enter a particular area2. Additionally, consistent and credible
speed limits can be more easily enforced. The following summarizes examples of agencies that
successfully set consistent speed limits. In most cases, changes
Several agencies have instituted consistent speed limits across were made to address pedestrian and bicyclist safety.
a particular type of roadway as described in the following
examples. The idea is to provide drivers with a consistent Charlotte, North Carolina
message. In most of the cases highlighted, speed limits were Between 2013 and 2017, while pedestrian and bicycling
used to address vulnerable road users due to high pedestrian crashes accounted for less than 3 percent of crashes they
and bicyclist fatalities. As a result, the use of consistent speed made up 44 percent of fatalities3 in Charlotte. In response to
limits across a jurisdiction usually resulted in lower speed concerns about traffic speed and pedestrian safety, the City
limits. Although not highlighted in these noteworthy practices, of Charlotte developed a neighborhood traffic management
the use of consistent speed limits can include redefining program which is a joint program between the city and
speed limit zone lengths and increasing speed limits along residents4 as well as adopted the city’s Vision Zero plan.
sections where a lower speed was not warranted.

Noteworthy Speed Management Practices

24
Consistent Speed Limits for Vulnerable Road Users

Biker along busy roadway. Source: Getty Images

As part of those action plans, the city changed the speed Seattle, Washington
limits on streets classified as “local” from 35 mph to 25 mph in The City of Seattle, Washington experienced around 20
November of 20185. The city also adopted other pedestrian- fatalities and 150 serious injury crashes annually. Pedestrian
centric measures such as additional sidewalk construction, and bicyclist crashes made up 5 percent of all crashes but
sidewalk improvements, and upgrades to pedestrian almost 50 percent of fatalities. Additionally, 9 out of 10
crossings. The Vision Zero action items were a result of a data- bicycle/pedestrian crashes resulted in injury. Speeding
driven approach that included engaging with the community, contributed to 25 percent of fatalities citywide and 42 percent
enforcement, and education. of downtown traffic fatalities.

Portland, Oregon In order to address these and other traffic safety issues, Seattle
Almost half (47 percent) of fatal crashes in Portland are the result funded Vision Zero through a 9- year transportation levy. As
of speeding. Pedestrians account for 31 percent and bicyclists part of this initiative, Washington State passed legislation in
account for 6 percent of motor vehicle fatalities. Further, 57 2013 allowing localities to lower speed limits to 20 mph. As a
percent of deadly crashes occur on 8 percent of Portland Streets6. result, Seattle set consistent speed limits on non-arterials at 20
mph. Additionally, 200 miles of arterial streets were re-signed
Portland adopted a Vision Zero Action Plan in 2015 to reduce from 30 mph to 25 mph in 201611.
fatal and serious injuries. The plan developed a High Crash
Network which identified high crash locations for people Seattle also utilized additional speed management strategies
walking, biking, and driving. The plan also reviewed how such as lane narrowing, speed cushions, and removing the
speed limits were set including use of the 85th percentile center line. The process also included focusing on safety
speed. Their approach shifted away from setting speed corridors with six completed and seven scheduled for 2019.
limits solely based on drivers to a balanced approach that Other safety corridor improvements include use of Leading
incorporates all road users. Part of this plan was to achieve Pedestrian Intervals (LPI), addition of protected bike lanes,
speed consistency on local residential streets7. State law use of more durable and visible pavement markings, lane
was successfully amended in 2017 to allow speed limits to narrowing, and speed cushions12. An LPI starts the pedestrian
be reduced from 25 to 20 mph on all of 3,000 miles of local “walk” signal several seconds before the vehicle green phase
residential streets. The bill that passed in 2017 was specifically changes so pedestrians are more visible to drivers making
for Portland. More recent legislation may allow the law to conflicting movements.
expand this option to cities across Oregon8. Portland used the
marketing theme “20 is plenty” and conducted activities such Although not solely attributed to changes in the speed limit,
a distributing yard signs to remind residents7. The Vision Zero fatalities decreased by 26 percent between 2017 and 201813.
Action Plan incorporated a range of other activities9,10.

Noteworthy Speed Management Practices

25
Consistent Speed Limits for Vulnerable Road Users

Pedestrians in NYC. Source: Getty Images

New York City, New York Zero initiative. The default city-wide speed limit was lowered
In 2014, pedestrian and bicyclist crashes accounted for 27 from 30 to 25 MPH in 2014. This included all local streets and
percent of all police reported crashes but made up 62 percent most arterials, around 90 percent of the streets in New York’s
of fatalities and 34 percent of injury crashes in New York City five boroughs. The 30 mph speed limit is still allowed on high
(NYC). Additionally, unsafe speed was noted as a contributing traffic arterials16.
factor in 7 percent of all crashes but accounted for 23 percent
of fatal crashes14. An important part of the process was to ensure the change
was communicated to the public. Over 4,700 new 25 mph
The use of consistent city-wide speed limits was one strategy speed limit signs were posted. In some cases, the city re-
that NYC felt would be effective given the high pedestrian and evaluated and resigned streets that had speed limits higher
bicycle volumes present. However, while State law allowed the than 25. Additionally, speed limit maps were created for
city to reduce speed limits on a case by case basis, citywide citizens to check speed limits along a particular roadway if
speed limits could not be lower than 30 mph15. there were any uncertainties17.

NYC used a data driven and comprehensive approach to New York City also implemented other speed management
convince the legislature to pass a measure allowing a default strategies such as eliminating the number of turning
25 mph speed limit based on overwhelming evidence about movements entering complicated intersections, extending
pedestrian risk15. In particular, they used evidence to convince medians at intersections, integrating LPI, better lane
the legislature that a pedestrian’s risk of dying is twice as high designation, adding pedestrian signals, adding crosswalks or
when struck at 30 mph as it is for being struck by a vehicle at pedestrian safety islands, adding speed bumps, addition of
25 mph. According to Repogle15, Deputy Commissioner for bike lanes and paths, and increasing street lighting18.
Policy at the New York City Department of Transportation, they
also used the argument that lowering New York City’s speed Queens Boulevard, which had a higher than average
limit was the most logical evidence based safety intervention pedestrian fatality rate, had a 3-year period without a single
they could take to save lives. Similar to their activities for pedestrian or bicyclist fatality after the installation of the 25
safety cameras, the strategy was also part of the NYC Vision mph speed limit and safety cameras15.

Noteworthy Speed Management Practices

26
Consistent Speed Limits for Vulnerable Road Users

Pedestrians in Boston. Source: Getty Images

Boston, Massachusetts
Pedestrian and bicycle crashes accounted for 71 percent of 80% of respondents in the City of
fatal and 30 percent of injury crashes in 2016 in Boston19.
Efforts to change the default speed limit were also part Calgary survey felt it was easier
of the city’s Vision Zero program. A State law instituting to remember a single speed limit
a 25 mph default speed limit was signed in January 2017
through a combined effort of the Boston City Council,
and consistent times.
Governor, Massachusetts DOT, and the Massachusetts State
Legislature20. The default speed limit previously was 30 mph. Other Examples
In conjunction with the effort, they placed 25 mph signs at The City of Calgary, Canada has used both playground and
entrance points and other strategic locations to educate school zones to protect vulnerable road users. Efforts to
drivers about the change. achieve compliance with speed limits in these areas were
initially approached using education and enforcement
Overall fatalities in Boston dropped from 21 in 2016 to 10 in followed by traffic control enhancements and speed
2018. Pedestrian and bike fatalities decreased from 15 to 7 management countermeasures. Prior to 2014, school zones
over the same time period. Pedestrian injury crashes dropped and playgrounds in Calgary had different hours and speed
from 893 in 2016 to 680 in 2018, although bicycle crashes limits. A commonly noted concern was uncertainty about the
were reasonably unchanged (422 to 425)19. type of zone a driver was entering along with effective hours.

Noteworthy Speed Management Practices

27
Consistent Speed Limits for Vulnerable Road Users

Playground. Source: Getty Images

School zone and playground zone speed limits were changed Outreach – Most of the agencies spent considerable effort
by March 2016 to one consistent time (7:30 am to 9:00 pm) in educating the public about the need for changes and
and speed limit (30 km/h) which is effective year-round,21,22,23. after consistent speed limits were adopted, they ensured
the public was aware of the change. This included posting
A study by the City of Calgary and the University of Calgary a large number of new speed limit signs, developing speed
collected data from 11 playgrounds and 18 school zones and limit maps to show where changes had occurred, and using
found average speeds decreased from 35.9 to 30.1 km/h. marketing campaigns.
Additionally, the study found the collision rate decreased from
78 percent while injury collisions within playground zones Comprehensive approach – Another strategy for success was
decreased by 33 percent21. that in almost all of the cases, agencies also implemented
other speed management countermeasures rather than just
relying on changing the speed limit. In most cases, the speed
Key Takeaways and Lessons Learned limit reduction was part of their Vision Zero plan and was part
of a multi-pronged approach to the problem. This helps make
Data-driven approach – All of the agencies highlighted used a case to the public that the changes are part of a larger plan
a data-driven approach to set consistent speed limits which to address safety.
usually resulted in lower speed limits. Agencies were able to
demonstrate a significant safety issue for vulnerable road users
by underscoring the number of fatalities and injuries sustained
by pedestrians and bicyclists. For instance, NYC used
evidence about pedestrian risk to convince their legislature to
make the change. Portland developed a High Crash Network
and reviewed how speed limits were set. Additionally, most of
them demonstrated the impact that speed has on the ability
of vulnerable road users to survive a crash when educating
decision makers and the public.
Advocacy – Advocacy efforts are undertaken by concerned
citizens. Advocacy groups are able to reach out and educate
their peers to demonstrate the safety issues behind proposed
changes on a more personal level than agencies may be able
to achieve. Additionally, many advocacy efforts involved
groups contacting their legislators which demonstrates
widespread acknowledgement of the problem.
Adult and child riding in a bike lane. Source: Getty Images

Noteworthy Speed Management Practices

28
Consistent Speed Limits for Vulnerable Road Users

Addressing driver expectancy – Although most of the drivers with a consistent message. Consistent speed limits
agencies reduced the speed limit to address safety concerns, on roadways with similar functions and characteristics assist
the use of consistent speed limits also provides drivers with a drivers in developing good driving habits. As a result, drivers
consistent message and expectations. For instance, as noted understand what is expected when they enter a particular area
in the Calgary example, instituting the same speed limits and (WHO, 2008). Additionally, consistent and credible speed
effective hours for school zones and playgrounds presented limits can be more easily enforced.

1 Forbes, Gerald J., Teresa Gardner, Hugh McGee, and Raghavan Srinivasan. Methods and Practices for Setting Speed Limits: An Informational Report.
Federal Highway Administration, Office of Safety. FHWA-SA-12-004. April 2012. [Link]/speedmgt/ref_mats/fhwasa12004
2 Speed Management: A Road Safety Manual for Decision-Makers and Practitioners. World Bank, the FIA Foundation and GRSP. February 2008.
[Link]/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/43915/9782940395040_eng.pdf?sequence=1
3 Neighborhood Traffic Management. City of Charlotte, North Carolina. [Link]/Transportation/Programs/Pages/[Link].
Accessed December 2019.
4 Vision Zero: Safer Streets for Charlotte: 2019 – 2030 Action Plan. City of Charlotte, Department of Transportation.
[Link]/VisionZero/Documents/Vision%20Zero%20Action%[Link]. Accessed December 2019.
5 Speed Limit Lowered to 25 mph on Charlotte Neighborhood Streets.
[Link] November 27, 2018.
6 Vision Zero Action Plan: Saving Lives with Safe Streets. City of Portland, Oregon. December 2016.
[Link]/transportation/71730. Accessed December 2019.
7 Residential Speed Limit Reduction. Portland Department of Transportation. [Link] Accessed December 2019.
8 Theen, Andrew. “Portland Wraps ‘20 is Plenty’ Effort, Eyes More Speed Limit Reductions.” The Oregonian. April 9, 2019.
[Link]/clackamascounty/2019/04/[Link]
9 City of Seattle. “Vision Zero: Seattle’s Plan to End Traffic Deaths and Serious Injuries by 2030.” Seattle Department of Transportation. February 2015.
[Link]/Documents/Departments/beSuperSafe/[Link]
10 City of Seattle. Vision Zero: Speed Limit Reduction FAQ. City of Seattle, Seattle Department of Transportation.
[Link]/Documents/Departments/beSuperSafe/VZ_FAQ_Flyer.pdf. Accessed December 2019.
11 Speed Limits. Seattle Department of Transportation. July 2018. [Link]/transportation/projects-and-programs/safety-first/vision-zero/speedlimits
12 “An update on Seattle’s ‘Vision Zero’ street safety efforts.” Capitol Hill Seattle Blog. March 8, 2019.
[Link]/2019/03/an-update-on-seattles-vision-zero-street-safety-efforts/
13 Baruchman, Michelle. “Seattle traffic deaths and injuries down slightly last year; most of the fatalities were pedestrians.” The Seattle Times. March 11, 2019.
[Link]/seattle-news/transportation/seattle-traffic-deaths-and-injuries-down-slightly-last-year-most-of-the-fatalities-were-pedestrians/
14 Summary of New York City Motor Vehicle Crashes. New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. [Link]/statistic/[Link].
Accessed December 2019.
15 Repogle, Michael. “How New York City Is Saving Pedestrian Lives Through Lower Speed Limits.” Road and Track. December 27, 2017.
[Link]/car-culture/a14500765/new-york-city-vision-zero/
16 Bankoff, Caroline. “Things to Know About NYC’s New 25-Miles-Per-Hour Speed Limit.” New York Magazine. November 4, 2014.
[Link]
17 Meyer, David. "DOT Releases Borough-by-Borough Speed Limit Maps." Streetsblog NYC. April 1, 2016.
[Link]/2016/04/01/city-releases-borough-by-borough-speed-limit-maps
18 Street Design and Regulation. New York City Vision Zero. [Link]/html/visionzero/pages/street-design/[Link]. Accessed December 2019.
19 Fisher, Jenna. “680 Pedestrians Were Hit By Cars In Boston In 2018: Vision Zero.” Patch, 25 Apr. 25, 2019,
[Link]/massachusetts/boston/680-pedestrians-were-hit-cars-boston-2018-vision-zero.
20 “Boston's New Default Speed Limit 25 MPH Effective Jan. 9, 2017.” City of Boston.
[Link]/news/bostons-new-default-speed-limit-25-mph-effective-jan-9-2017
21 Churchill, A.E., Joanna Domarad, Lina Kattan, Suman Mishra, and Greg Iwaskow. Improving safety in school and playground zones through harmonization.
2018 Conference of the Transportation Association of Canada Saskatoon, SK.
[Link] Accessed December 2019.
22 Calgary. Playground Zones. City of Calgary, Canada. [Link]/transportation/roads/pages/traffic/traffic-safety-programs/[Link].
Accessed December 2019.
23 Tucker, Erika. “Study on Calgary Playground, School Zone Changes Shows Less Speeding, Collisions after Harmonization.” Global News. September 18, 2017.
[Link]

Noteworthy Speed Management Practices

29
Network Approach to Setting Speed Limits

NEW ZEALAND TRANSPORT AGENCY

ISSUE STRATEGIES TAKEAWAYS

➤ Speed limits can be inconsistent ➤ Developed network based speed ➤ Used a measure of safety risk
limits that were evidence based which can be communicated to
➤ In some cases, speed limits did not
and nationally consistent stakeholders and the public
consider the safety aspect of speed
➤ Used outreach and education ➤ Data-driven approach provides
clarity in selecting speed limits

Background
Speeding is a contributing factor in almost one-third of Speeding contributes to 1/3 of
fatalities and around 20 percent of serious injury crashes in
New Zealand1,2. Additionally, roadway fatalities increased from fatalities in New Zealand and is noted
253 in 2013 to 373 in 2018 while serious injuries increased as being on par with drunk driving as
from 2,020 to 2,8363.
their biggest safety problem2.
The Problem
Historically speed limits in New Zealand were based on the A recommended speed limit for each roadway type is
number of access points and surrounding land use for a developed based on various characteristics such as geometry,
particular rather than considering roadway characteristics or land use, roadside hazards, etc. An Infrastructure Risk Rate
safety performance. (IRR) is developed for each corridor based on the following
and an IRR score is given (1 = low to 5 = high risk):
Developing Consistent and • Roadway type
Evidence Based Speed Limits • Alignment

To address concerns about speeding-related crashes, the • Width

New Zealand Transport agency developed the NZ Speed • Roadside hazards
Management Guide which provides speed limits that are
• Land use
nationally consistent and evidence based2,4,. The resulting
guide is an evidence-based, network-wide approach that • Intersection density
recommends speed limits that are safe and appropriate based • Access density
on road function, design, safety, and land use.
• Traffic volume
The objectives of the guide are the following : 5

• Make the roadway system more forgiving of human error

• Reduce force in crashes to a level that is tolerable for the
human body to survive without serious injury
• Minimize unsafe road user behavior

Speeding Vehicle. Source: Getty Images

Noteworthy Speed Management Practices

30
Network Approach to Setting Speed Limits

Typical rural road in New Zealand. Source: Getty Images

A measure of safety risk (low-to-high) is also assigned management measures to ensure they are consistent across
based on crash density and crash rate6. The IRR score is similar roadway types in a network4. A matrix was developed
combined with safety risk and roadway function and a safe which recommends safe and appropriate speeds for a
and appropriate speed recommended. The guide lays out particular road class. An example of recommended speeds for
principles for setting speed limits and applying speed a few roadway types is shown in Table 1.

Table 1: Example of Recommended Speeds for Select Road Types

Safe and
Roadway Function Road Safety Metric Infrastructure Risk Rating Appropriate
Speed

➤ ONRC* Class 1 -2 ➤ Personal risk ≤ low to medium** ➤ Low or Low-medium 80 km/h

➤ Rural town ➤ Collective risk ≤ medium to high**

➤ ONRC* Class 1 - 3 ➤ Personal risk ≤ medium** ➤ Low or Low-medium 60 km/h

➤ Rural town

➤ Any ONRC* ➤ Personal risk ≤ medium to high** ➤ Low or Low-medium 50 km/h

➤ Rural town

*One Network Road Classification **Risk is further defined in the NZ Speed Management Guide

Noteworthy Speed Management Practices

31
Network Approach to Setting Speed Limits

The New Zealand Transport agency develops a map for each New Zealand has also announced a $1.4 billion investment
Road Controlling Agency, which shows where existing speed in road safety over the next 3 years with half of the funds
limits differ from the recommendations, and identifies where allocated to state highways and half allocated for local roads.
speed management will have the most benefit. Maps are Improvements include the use of median and side barriers,
developed using land use, speed limits, current operating rumble strips, and should widening3.
speeds, and a measure of risk for the corridor4.
In Auckland, around 750 km of roads are being treated. The
The network map is created by comparing existing speed limits focus is on the top 10 percent high risk areas5.
against the recommended ones. Corridors with a safety issue
and current travel speeds and speed limit above the calculated
safe and appropriate speed are identified. The next step is to Key Takeaways and Lessons Learned
determine what type of intervention should be done for those
corridors. Economically important roads where there is a strong Data-driven approach – New Zealand used a data-driven
case for investment are targeted for geometric improvements approach that can be replicated by other agencies. Speed
such as by-passes. When corridors do not meet these criteria, limits were assigned based on an assessment of roadway
discussions are made about lowering the speed limit or characteristics (i.e., width, volume, and alignment) as well as
employing lower-cost countermeasures. Finally, in locations crash density and rate. A measure of safety risk is assigned.
where current travel speeds are below the current speed limit, In addition to having a clear metric for assigning speed limits,
lowering the speed limit is recommended to be consistent4. the concept of risk can be explained to agencies and the
public more easily.

Outreach – As NZ began implementing the guide and tool

61 percent of fatal crashes were they found some resistance. For instance, the use of the
found to occur on roadways where guide and tool resulted in speed limits on a large number of
roadways being classified as “too high.” One source reported
the calculated “safe and appropriate that 87 percent of speed limits in New Zealand are too high
speed” was below the currently according to the tool with only 5 percent of open roads
posted speed limit. warranting the current 100 km/h speed limit. Others expressed
concerns that blanket reductions could weaken the economy
by increasing time for businesses to move freight7.

To address these concerns, New Zealand found engagement and

What Happened Next
outreach were an important part of the process. Their approach
and perspective for implementation included the following:
The speed management guide was used to develop a tool
called “Mega Maps” which assigns speeds within a particular • Focus on “speed management” rather than speed limits
network area based on factors from the NZ Speed Management • Engage early with stakeholders
Guide2. Application of the tool for fatal road crashes in 2018
found 61 percent of fatal crash sites had a calculated “safe and • Gradually build public understanding and support
appropriate speed” that was below the currently posted speed • Consider the pace of change, resistance occurs when too
limit at that site2. This information allows agencies to better many things are changed at once
target speed limits for high-risk roadways.

1 Safer Journeys. Safe Speed: Goal for 2020. [Link]/action-plans/safe-speeds. Accessed November 2019.
2 Koorey, Glen. Making Safer Speeds Happen. Can Do Workshop. July 2018 [Link]
3 Tupou, Laura. “Government Announces a $1.4 Billion Investment in Road Safety.”
[Link]/home/politics/2018/12/[Link]. December 16, 2018. Accessed November 2019.
4 New Zealand Transport Agency. NZ Speed Management Guide. November 2016. [Link]/safety/speed-management-resources (Accessed October
2019).
5 Turner, Shane. Applying the Speed Management Guide to New Zealand Cities.
Presentation at the 2020 Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board. Washington, DC. January 2020.
6 KiwiRAP. KiwiRAP, New Zealand Road Assessment Programme. [Link]/[Link]. Accessed November 2019.
7 Ensor, Jamie. Speed Limits Too High on Nearly All Kiwi Roads. New Zealand Transport Agency
[Link]

Noteworthy Speed Management Practices

32
Appendix A: Acknowledgments

This report is a result of FHWA’s leadership in the area of speed management

and toward creating effective resources for practitioners. FHWA project staff
include the following:

• Guan Xu | FHWA
• Abdul Zineddin | FHWA
• Norah Ocel | FHWA

The project team gratefully acknowledges the project Technical Advisory

Committee (TAC) members who provided excellent guidance and support
throughout this project. The TAC includes the following individuals:

• Brian Burk, P.E. | Travis County Public Works, Texas

• Christopher Cairns, P.E., PTOE | City of Orlando, Florida
• Hillary Isebrands, P.E., PhD | FHWA
• William Lambert, P.E. | New Hampshire DOT
• Pat Hoye | Department of Public Safety, Iowa

The following individuals also provided significant guidance to the project:

• Rosemarie Anderson | FHWA

• Chimai Ngo | FHWA
• Stephen Ratke | FHWA
• Jeffrey King | FHWA
• Clayton Chen | FHWA
• Keith Williams | NHTSA
• Lewis Leff | City of Austin, TX
• Joel Meyer | City of Austin, TX
• Commander Eric Miesse | City of Austin Police Department, TX
• Dan Hartman | City of Golden, CO
• Anne Beierle | City of Golden, CO
• Chief Daniel Sharp | Oro Valley Police Department, AZ
• Lieutenant Chris Olson | Oro Valley Police Department, AZ

Noteworthy Speed Management Practices

33
Appendix B: Summary of Activities

The first workshop was conducted on April 3, 2019, in Arlington,

Virginia, concurrently with the Institute of Transportation
Engineers Joint Southern and Mid-Colonial District Annual
Meeting. The discussion topics included agency speed
management practices, policies, countermeasures, setting
speed limits, and law enforcement. These discussions were
facilitated by subject matter experts along with several guest
speakers including Adam Greenstein (WSP), and Eddie Reyes
(Director at Prince William County Office of Public Safety).

The second workshop was a webinar conducted on June

13, 2019. Similar to the Arlington workshop, information
was shared on agency speed management practices and
policies, advocacy, setting speed limits, law enforcement,
and countermeasures. The webinar included presentations
by subject matter experts along with several guest speakers
including Veronica Vanterpool (Deputy Director, National Vision
Zero Network) and Chief Daniel Sharp (Police Department for
the town of Oro Valley, Arizona). Participants were engaged
during the webinar by participating in live polls, using the chat
pod, and using a post-webinar evaluation survey.

The third workshop was conducted on July 21, 2019, in Austin,

Texas during the Joint ITE International and Texas District 2019
Stakeholder meeting in Arlington, VA. Annual Meeting and Exhibit. These discussions were facilitated by
Image Source: Niloo Parvinashtiani subject matter experts along with several guest speakers including
The efforts to gather potential noteworthy speed management Brian Burk (Senior Engineer with Travis County Public Works,
practices consisted of a range of outreach efforts, including TX), Commander Eric Miesse (Austin Police Department), Randy
three roundtable workshops, as noted below. The objective McCourt (President, DKS Associates), and Sarah Abel (Technical
was to identify agencies who have been involved in Programs Manager, ITE). Several issues were discussed around
engineering, enforcement, education, or advocacy efforts to the need for outreach, the lack of resources to address speed
reduce speeding. management, the necessity for a collaborative approach, data
collection, and management issues.

Noteworthy Speed Management Practices

34
Appendix B: Summary of Activities

A total of 93 initial noteworthy practices were identified

In addition to these workshops, a number of supplemental through the activities described above. The 93 initial
outreach efforts were made to seek out speed management noteworthy practices were narrowed to 36 potential
practices with an even wider audience including the following: noteworthy practices based on the following:
• Attending relevant national committee meetings or • Available content (initial scan of information to describe
distribution of email to committee members. This what the noteworthy practice is)
included ITE Safety Council, ITE Traffic Engineering • US-based (although international examples were included,
Council, ITE Vision Zero Steering Committee, more weight was given to US examples)
Transportation Research Board (TRB) AHB65- Committee
on Operational Effects of Geometrics, TRB ANB20(5)- • Additional information was gathered and the 36 potential
Traffic Speed and Safety – Cross cutting Issues Joint noteworthy practices were reviewed. The practices were
Subcommittee, Highway Safety Partners Venture narrowed again to 15 top priority noteworthy practices
Meeting (HSPV), American Association of State Highway based on the following:
Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Traffic Engineering • Representation of a range of practices
Committee 2019 Annual Meeting, and National
• Sufficient information to pursue a case study
Operations Center of Excellence (NOCoE) road weather
management peer exchange • MUTCD compliant strategies (if applicable)

• FHWA/ITE Joint Speed Management Workshop during

Case studies were selected from a cursory review of the
joint ITE/Midwestern and Great Lakes District 2018
information and initial discussions. A final 15 top priority
Annual Meeting and Exhibit
case studies were identified and ultimately a final eight
• Case study online screening form distribution were selected in conjunction with the project TAC for
• ITE membership outreach including ITE e-newsletter documentation following discussions with individual agencies.
(Spotlite), ITE district/Section/Chapter newsletter, and ITE
All Member e-community
• Attending other relevant meetings (GHSA-IIHS National
Forum on Speeding, 29th Annual Governor’s Highway
Traffic Safety Conference)
• FHWA and project’s Technical Advisory Committee
• Internet search

Noteworthy Speed Management Practices

35
Appendix C: Speed Management Resources

There are a number of speed management resources and Neuner, M., J. Atkinson, B. Chandler, S. Hallmark, R. Milstead,
examples of agency practices available for practitioners. and R. Retting. Integrating Speed Management Within
Information summarized during the course of the project was Roadway Departure, Intersections, and Pedestrian and
summarized in five general areas including the following: Bicyclist Safety Focus Areas. FHWA-SA-16-017. April 2016.
Speeding—defined as traveling too fast for conditions or in
• General Guidance on Speed Management excess of the posted speed limits—, contributes to nearly
• Setting Speed Limits one-third of all roadway fatalities, and this proportion has
remained largely unchanged for the past decade. Practitioners
• Countermeasures and communities working to reduce speeding-related crashes
• Outreach need the latest information and tools to guide their efforts.
Since roadway departure, intersection, and pedestrian and
• Enforcement
bicycle crashes have been identified by the Federal Highway
Administration as the three areas with great potential to reduce
General Guidance fatalities, States are encouraged to integrate speed management
into these three safety focus areas. In order to assist agencies
on Speed Management
with integrating speed management into their policies, practices,
and safety plans, this report presents information on national
Powell, T, and R. Martin. Speeding Away from Zero: speeding-related crash trends, promotes a speed-related
Rethinking a Forgotten Safety Challenge. Governors crash data analysis approach, and recommends strategies
Highway Safety Associate GHSA, January 2019 and initiatives for integrating speed management into both
This report presents speeding-related fatality trends according an agency's overall policies as well as its roadway departure,
to data collected by the National Highway Traffic Safety intersection, and pedestrian and bicyclist safety programs.
Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System. This report
documents and summarizes information collected from states Bagdade, J., D. Nabors, H. McGee, R. Miller, and R.
and reviews policy, programmatic, and cultural trends related to Retting. Speed Management: A Manual for Local Rural
speeding. It provides a discussion on the collection of speeding- Road Owners. FHWA-SA-12-027. November 2012. This
related crash data as well as showcases approaches to setting document provides information on how to develop a speed
speed limits. The report concludes that the current landscape on management program that is tailored to meet the needs of
speeding reveals a number of the following key findings: local rural road practitioners. A speed Management program
• Progress on the issue of speeding is limited at best can be effective in lowering the number of speeding crashes
Efforts to combat speeding face political roadblocks and the resulting fatalities and serious injuries on local rural
roads. This document describes the various elements of a speed
• When it comes to speeding, drivers have a minimal
management program, including the principles of setting speed
perception of risk
limits appropriate for roads within the jurisdiction and various
countermeasures that are effective in mitigating speeding as it
The report recommends that in order to achieve
relates to roadway safety in rural areas.
breakthroughs, the transportation community should consider
a number of key steps including the following:
• Improve Program Management
• Prioritize Enforcement
• Improve State and Local Policy
• Identify and Deploy a Culture Change Model
• Investigate Future Solutions

Noteworthy Speed Management Practices

36
Appendix C: Speed Management Resources

Speed Management ePrimer for Rural Transition Zones Several sources were consulted to develop the list of
and Town Centers. FHWA. January 2018. This Speed countermeasures with strong evidence of crash or speed-
Management ePrimer for Rural Transition Zones and Town reducing effects. Key among these sources were the Highway
Centers is a free, online resource openly available for public Safety Manual, the Crash Modification Factors Clearinghouse,
use. The ePrimer presents a review of speeding-related safety and FHWA proven safety countermeasures information.
issues facing rural communities, along with the basic elements Although only measures that have a high quality of evaluation
required for data collection, information processing, and evidence were included in these lists, other measures may
countermeasure selection by rural transportation professionals also have crash-reducing effects, but the evidence is not
and community decision-makers. The ePrimer is presented in as conclusive. New knowledge emerges continually, so
six distinct modules developed to allow the reader to move practitioners are encouraged to consult the Crash Modification
between each to find the desired information, without a cover- Factors Clearinghouse and other sources for the most up-to-
to-cover reading. The ePrimer presents the following: date information. These CMF effect estimates may be used
in cost benefit assessments to help prioritize among alternate
• A definition of speeding and speed management, countermeasures as described in the Action Plan template.
its importance, and its relationship to the goals and The third section provides tip sheets for communications
challenges (e.g., resource constraints) faced by many rural experts and others involved in supporting the speed
communities management program and countermeasures through
• Illustrations and photographs of 14 types of speed education and awareness efforts. The tip sheets provide
management countermeasures, particularly suited for rural guidance on developing a locally-tailored communications
transition zones and town centers program. Creating and sustaining an effective speed
management program requires the commitment and support
• Considerations for their appropriate application, including of diverse stakeholders, including users of the roadways and
effects and design and installation specifics effective communications which can help build such support.
• Research on the mobility and safety effects of speed In addition, safety benefits of specific countermeasures, such
management countermeasures for passenger cars as enforcement or new or unfamiliar engineering treatments,
and commercial trucks, pedestrians and bicyclists, and may be enhanced with an effective communications program.
agricultural vehicles which frequent roadways in and
around many rural communities Ecola, L., S.W. Popper, R. Silberglitt, and L. Fraade-Blanar.
The Road to Zero: A Vision for Achieving Zero Roadway
• Case studies that cover effective processes used to
Deaths by 2050. Rand Corporation. 2018.
plan and define a rural community speed management
Summarizes information for achieving vision zero.
program or project, and assessments of the effects
of individual and series of speed management
countermeasures.

Speed Management Toolkit. FHWA Safety Program.

FHWA0SA015-017. 2017. This speed management resource
was developed from the most relevant and up-to-date
existing speed management guides, informational resources,
and research evidence. The first section is an annotated
bibliography that provides a descriptive list of key speed
management resources. The bibliography also identifies the
primary target audiences who may find the resources most
useful. Resources were reviewed as part of the project to
identify best speed management practices, and to develop
the model speed management Action Plan template.

The second section describes crash- and speed-reducing

countermeasures and the effects that might be expected for
implementing the listed treatments. The countermeasures
included, with potential crash effects or Crash Modification
Factors (CMFs), are derived from high quality evaluations.

Noteworthy Speed Management Practices

37
Appendix C: Speed Management Resources

Traffic Calming ePrimer. FHWA. February 2017. Hallmark, S. and N. Hawkins. “Traffic Calming on
The Traffic Calming ePrimer is a free, online resource openly Main Roads through Rural Communities” Tech Brief.
available for public use. The ePrimer presents a thorough FHWA-HRT-08-067. US Department of Transportation,
review of current traffic calming practices and contains the Federal Highway Administration. February 2009. Speed
information needed to understand this complex field. The management is a significant challenge for most communities
ePrimer is presented in eight distinct modules developed to in the United States. This is particularly true for small, rural
allow the reader to move between each to find the desired communities where the main roadway through the town
information, without a cover-to-cover reading. The ePrimer serves a dual role. Outside the town, the roadway provides
presents the following: high-speed travel over long distances; within the built-up
area, however, the same roadway accommodates local access,
• A definition of traffic calming, its purpose, and its
pedestrians of all ages, on-street parking, bicycles, and the
relationship to other transportation initiatives (like
many other features unique to the character of a community.
complete streets and context sensitive solutions)
This convergence of roadway purposes presents both an
• Illustrations and photographs of 22 different types of enforcement challenge for the community and a potential
traffic calming measures safety problem for the public.
• Considerations for their appropriate application, including
effects and design and installation specifics Addressing the issue through law enforcement alone often
leads to temporary compliance at a significant cost. A more
• Research on the effects of traffic calming measures on
permanent way to reinforce the need to reduce speed is
mobility and safety for passenger vehicles; emergency
to change the look and feel of the road by installing traffic
response, public transit, and waste collection vehicles;
calming treatments that communicate to drivers that the
and pedestrians and bicyclists
function of the roadway is changing. Traffic calming has been
• Examples and case studies of both comprehensive traffic evaluated and used extensively within low-speed urban areas
calming programs and neighborhood-specific traffic in the United States but less so in rural areas where driver
calming plans expectations and traffic characteristics are different.
• Case studies that cover effective processes used to plan
and define a local traffic calming program or project and Traffic calming is more common in rural communities in Europe
assessments of the effects of individual and series of where multiple measures such as colored pavement, physical
traffic calming measures lane narrowing, signing, and landscaping are often combined.
A gateway treatment intended to evoke lower speed on the
Hallmark, S., S. Knickerbocker, and N. Hawkins. Evaluation approach and entrance to the community is usually followed
of Low Cost Traffic Calming for Rural Communities – Phase II. by a series of other measures repeated throughout the
Iowa Department of Transportation. January 2013. community to encourage drivers to maintain appropriate
The study evaluated traffic-calming treatments through small speeds. Speed reductions up to 15 mph from rural traffic
Iowa communities using either single-measure low-cost or calming have been reported in France, Denmark, and the UK,
gateway treatment that was appropriate for major roads although speed reductions of 5 mph were more typical. Total
through small rural communities. The project identified small accidents were reduced by 50 percent and injury accidents by
rural communities with speed issues, selected and installed 25 percent or more.
countermeasures, and compared the impact using before and
after studies. Thirteen different traffic calming strategies were This tech brief summarizes an evaluation of the effects on the
evaluated in 10 rural communities in Iowa. speed of low-cost, traffic-calming treatments on main rural
highways passing through small, rural communities in Iowa.
Fitzsimmons, E., N. Oneyear, S. Hallmark, N. Hawkins,
and T. Maze. Synthesis of Traffic Calming Techniques in Hallmark, S. and H. Isebrands. Toolbox to Address Safety
Work Zones. January 2009. Smart Work Zone Deployment and Operations around Schools in Iowa. Nov. 200.5 Case
Initiative. This project identified and summarized the studies around elementary schools in Iowa were conducted
effectiveness of different traffic calming treatments to reduce to identify common traffic safety issues and best practices.
speeds in work zones. State of the art and new technologies Countermeasures and recommendations were summarized in
for speed management in work zones were identified a toolbox specifically prepared for school officials as well as
and summarized. A report, summarizing work zone speed transportation agencies.
management countermeasures was developed.

Noteworthy Speed Management Practices

38
Appendix C: Speed Management Resources

Setting Speed Limits Countermeasures

USLIMITS2. FHWA Office of Safety Programs. January 2018. Dixon, K., H. Zhu, J. Ogle, J. Brooks, C. Hein, P. Aklluir,
USLIMITS2 is a web-based tool designed to help practitioners and M. Crisler. Determining Effective Roadway Design
set reasonable, safe, and consistent speed limits for specific Treatments for Transitioning from Rural Areas to Urban
segments of roads. USLIMITS2 is applicable to all types of Areas on State Highways. Oregon Department of
roads ranging from rural local roads and residential streets to Transportation. FHWA-OR-RD-09-02. September 2008.
urban freeways. However, the tool is not applicable to school This publication provides a review of countermeasures for
zones or construction zones. rural-to-urban transitions zones using a simulator study.

User-friendly, logical, and objective, USLIMITS2 is of particular Bloomberg, R.D. and A.M. Cleven. Pilot Test of Heed
benefit to local communities and agencies without ready access the Speed, a Program to Reduce Speeds in Residential
to engineers experienced in conducting speed studies for Neighborhoods. DOT HS 810 648. National Highway Traffic
setting appropriate speed limits. For experienced engineers, Safety Administration. August 2006. This report discusses a
USLIMITS2 can provide an objective second opinion and pilot study in Phoenix and Philadelphia.
increase confidence in speed limit setting decisions.
Hein, C. Comparison of Effectiveness of Roadway
Hildebrand, E.D., A. Ross, and K. Robinchaud. “The Design Treatments for Transitioning from Rural Areas to
Effectiveness of Transitional Speed Zones.” ITE Journal. Urban Areas Using a Driving Simulator. Thesis. Clemson
October 2004. pp. 30-38. This study summarizes policies University. 2007. This thesis discusses six different
on speed transition zones and summarizes studies which countermeasures tested in a driving simulator.
evaluated driver compliance in transition zones.
Sandberg, W., T. Schoenecker, K. Sebastian, and D. Soler.
Rawson, C.T. Procedures for Establishing Speed Zones. Long-Term Effectiveness of Dynamic Speed Monitoring
August [Link] Department of Transportation. These Displays for Speed Management at Speed Limit Transitions.
procedures summarize speed management policies in Texas This report evaluates dynamic speed feedback sign in
including transition zones. transition zones (rural and urban).

Sign Installation Policy—Speed Limits. Municipality of FIldes, B., B. Corben, S. Newstead, J. Macaulay, T.
Anchorage. Traffic Engineering Department. This is a speed Gunatillake, and M. Tziotis. Perceptual Countermeasures
limit policy for Municipality of Anchorage. to Speeding. 49th Annual Proceedings Association for the
Advancement of Automotive Medicine. Sept. 2005.
Speed Limit Guidelines. Missouri Department of This proceedings document evaluates transverse edgelines at
Transportation. October 2019. Guidelines on setting speed the approach to an intersection.
limits for Missouri Department of Transportation
URS. Traffic Calming Report. November 2013. United
Speed Zoning for Highways, Roads, and Streets in Florida. Kingdom and Ireland. This report offers a detailed description
Florida Department of Transportation. Topic #750-010-002. of most European style speed management countermeasures.
March 2010. This report summarizes bases for setting speed zones.
Traffic Calming. Local Transport Note 1/07. March 2007.
Speed Limit Guidelines. North Dakota Department of Department for Transport, United Kingdom. This report
Transportation. September 2015. Describes the North offers a summary table of various countermeasures used in the
Dakota’s DOT process for setting speed limit transitions zones. United Kingdom.

Policy for Speed Limit Review/Request. City of Shorewood, Dutta, N., M.D. Fontaine, R.A. Boateng, and M. Campbell.
Minnesota. June 2015. Describes the City of Shorewood’s Evaluation of the Impact of the I-66 Active Traffic
process for setting speed limit transitions zones. Management System: Phase II. Report No. VTRC 19-R7.
Virginia Department of Transportation. Richmond, Virginia,
Forbes, G.J., T. Gardner, H. McGee, and R. Srinivasan. October 2018.
Methods and Practices for Setting Speed Limits: An
Informational Report. FHWA-SA-12-004. Federal Highway
Administration. April 2012. This publication describes
primary practices and methods to set speed limits.

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39
Appendix C: Speed Management Resources

Outreach
Wisconsin Statewide Speed Management Guidelines. Traffic Calming Study and Approval Process for State
Wisconsin Department of Transportation. June 2009. Highways. Vermont Agency of Transportation. September
This document describes guidelines for transitional speed 2003. This study includes information about planning,
zones in terms of length and characteristics. evaluating, and implementation traffic calming projects on
state highways in Vermont.
Alabama Speed Management Manual. Alabama
Department of Transportation. October 2015. Traffic Calming Guide for Local Residential Streets. Virginia
This manual provides information on data collection and Department of Transportation, Traffic Engineering Division.
countermeasures for speed management. October 2002, July 2008. This guide describes a speed
management process for local streets.
Guidelines for Traffic Calming. City of Sparks Public
Works, Nevada. January 2007. These guidelines include a Pennsylvania’s Traffic Calming Handbook. Pennsylvania
methodology for application and approval of countermeasures Department of Transportation. Pub 383 (7-12). July 2012.
as well as a summary of countermeasures. This handbook describes study and approval process, data
collection metrics, and speed management countermeasures.
Brown, D. Effective Application of Traffic Calming Techniques.
Caltrans Division of Research and Innovation. September Torbic, D.J., D.K. Gilmore, K.M. Bauer, C.D. Bokenkroger,
2011. This document summarizes traffic calming guidance from D.W. Harwood, L.M. Lucas, R. J. Frazier, C.S. Kinzel,
several states. The report summarizes background, traffic calming D.L. Petree, and M.D. Forsberg. NCHRP Report 737:
policies, types of treatments, and legal issues. Design Guidance for High-Speed to Low-speed Transition
Zones for Rural Highways. Transportation Research
Main Streets: Flexibility in Design and Operations. Board. Washington, DC. 2012. This study developed
California Department of Transportation. January 2005. design guidance for high to low speed transition zones and
This booklet includes information on common conducted studies on several transition zone treatments.
countermeasures and performance measures; its focus is on Additionally, the study summarized international guidelines on
developing state highways that are also local main streets. use of treatments.

Delaware Traffic Calming Design Manual. Delaware Safe Road Design—A Practical Manual, Public Works,
Department of Transportation. 2012. This manual outlines and Water Management, the Netherlands, September
the needs and process for a traffic calming plan. 2005. Safe Road Design – A Practical Manual (World Bank
and Dutch Ministry of Transportation, 2005) This manual
Maine DOT Guidelines for Use of Traffic Calming Devices. provides a summary on the use of speed reduction measures
This proposed policy includes traffic calming guidelines but in the Netherlands.
does not address data, rural, or transition zones.
Bagdade, J., D. Nabors, H. McGee, R. Miller, and R.
Mass Highway. Traffic Calming and Traffic Management, Retting. Speed Management: A Manual for Local Rural
Chapter 16. 2006. This chapter includes speed management Road Owners. FHWA Office of Safety. FHWA-SA-12-027.
guidelines. November 2012. Provides a definition of speed metric:
design speed, operating speed, posted speed. The
Smart Transportation Guidebook. Pennsylvania and New process for conducting a speed management program is
Jersey Department of Transportation. March 2008. also described. The study also has an appendix on how to
Discusses a section on rural, town, and village neighborhood conduct speed studies using traffic counters, time-measured
speed management. zone, radar LIDAR.

Noteworthy Speed Management Practices

40
Appendix C: Speed Management Resources

Enforcement
Eccles, K.A., B. Persuad, C. Lyon, and G. Hansen. NCHRP Speed Enforcement Camera Systems Operational
Report 729: Automated Enforcement for Speeding and Guidelines. National Highway Transportation Safety
Red Light Running. Transportation Research Board, Administration, US Department of Transportation. DOT
Washington DC. 2012. The report provides some guidance HS 810 916. March 2008. The study provides guidelines
on the initiation and operation of an automated enforcement for use of speed enforcement cameras. The advantages and
program. The guidance was developed based on a survey disadvantages compared to traditional speed enforcement
of agencies, field visits, a literature review, and author were highlighted. The report also studies which evaluated the
experience. It covers planning, enabling legislation, violation effectiveness of ASE. The report provides guidance on legal/
enforcement, use of revenue, evaluation, and technology. policy authority, planning, identifying a speeding-related
issue, developing a strategic plan, selecting a countermeasure,
Eccles, K.A. “Automated Enforcement for Speeding and obtaining interagency and community support, selection of
Red Light Running.” TR News. May 2014. Summarizes equipment, addressing media coverage, setting enforcement
information from NCHRP 729. thresholds, processing violations, and program evaluation.

Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center. An Overview Miller, R.J., J.S. Osberg, R. Retting, M. Ballou, and R.
of Automated Enforcement Systems and Their Potential Atkins. System Analysis of Automated Speed Enforcement
for Improving Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety. Summarizes Implementation. National Highway Transportation Safety
impacts of speeding and red-light running on pedestrians Administration, US Department of Transportation. DOT
and bicyclists. Summarizes studies which evaluated HS 812 257. April 2016. The study contacted currently
automated enforcement programs. Results of 13 studies operating and recently discontinued ASE to determine
found a statistically significant reduction in crashes after whether their programs were consistent with NHTSA
introduction of automated speed enforcement with an guidelines, Speed Enforcement Camera Systems Operational
estimated 20 to 25 percent reduction. A study of covert or Guidelines. This included a survey of 11 states. The report
unmarked enforcement programs in Australia and Canada summarized overall results.
also found a 20 to 25 percent reduction in crashes. Other
studies found ASE reduced mean speeds by 11 mph or more
for 65 mph speed limit roads. One study found a speed
reduction of 3 to 8 mph in work zones. A study in Canada
found reductions crashes for urban arterials with speed limits
of 50 km/h (31 mph). The report also summarized methods to
enhance effectiveness of automated enforcement including
addressing legal issues and public opinion.

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