Traffic Calming Toolbox

Below is a list of traffic-calming strategy terms, with explanatory summaries and corresponding graphics and images

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Pedestrians walking in a crosswalk

Creates narrowed roadways to slow vehicle speeds

Suitable for:

  • Residential streets

  • Collector streets

Not Suitable for:

  • Arterial streets

A traffic trailer parked on a residential street

A portable speed feedback sign setup on-street to alert drivers to vehicle speeds

Suitable for:

  • School zones
  • Residential streets
  • Collector streets
  • Locations with speeding concerns
  • High pedestrian activity areas

Not suitable for:

  • Intersections
  • Significant roadway curvature

White lettering on a black top road: MPH 25

Speed legends are used to inform drivers of the current speed limit

Suitable for:

  • Residential streets
  • Collector streets

Not suitable for:

  • Arterial streets

Three different street signs

Improves awareness to speed limits, pedestrian crossings, and other potential hazards

Suitable for:

  • School zones
  • Residential streets
  • Collector streets
  • Locations with speeding concerns
  • High pedestrial activity areas
  • Significant roadway curvature

Not suitable for:

  • Intersections

Botts Dots lining a crosswalk

Provide tactile feedback to drivers moving across travel lanes or approaching intersections

Suitable for:

  • School zones
  • Residential streets
  • Collector streets
  • T-intersections

Not Suitable for:

  • Arterial streets

A woman and child waiting to cross at a crosswalk

Ladder markings and defined crosswalk widths heighten awareness of pedestrian crossings

Suitable for:

  • School zones
  • Residential streets
  • Collector streets
  • Arterial streets
  • Mid-block crossings
  • Intersection crosswalks
  • High pedestrian activity areas

Not Suitable for:

  • Low pedestrian volume locations

A police officer writing a citation

Can effectively reduce speeding and inappropriate driving

Suitable for:

  • Residential streets
  • Collector streets
  • Locations with speeding concerns

Not Suitable for:

  • N/A

Three Speed Feedback Signs. One wired, two solar.

Permanently installed to alert drivers of their speeds versus posted limits

Suitable for:

  • School zones
  • Residential streets
  • Collector streets
  • Arterial streets
  • Locations with speeding concerns
  • High pedestrian activity areas

Not Suitable for:

  • Intersections
  • Significant roadway curvature

A man walking in a crosswalk with flashing beacons

Warn drivers of pedestrians at an uncontrolled crossing

Suitable for:

  • School Zones
  • Mixed-use areas
  • Residential streets
  • Collector streets

Not Suitable for:

  • N/A

A woman and child riding bikes in a green bike lane next to a car

Reduces the number of travel lanes to accommodate other modes and slow vehicle speeds

Suitable for:

  • Collector streets
  • Downtown areas
  • High pedestrian activity area
  • High bicycle traffic
  • Locations with speeding concerns

Not Suitable for:

  • Narrow roadways

cars parked in angled parking spots

Narrows travel lanes to slow vehicle speed and increases parking supply

Suitable for:

  • Downtown areas
  • Commercial areas
  • Mixed-Use areas
  • Residential streets
  • Collector streets

Not Suitable for:

  • Arterial streets

Several different PACE Car Program Logos

 A community-driven program focusing on raising awareness to speed reduction in the neighborhoods

Suitable for:

  • Downtown streets
  • Residential streets
  • Collector streets
  • High pedestrian activity areas

Not Suitable for:

  • Low pedestrian activity areas

Line drawing of four bulbouts at an intersection

Curb-extensions that slow vehicle speeds with the impression of a narrowed roadway

Suitable for:

  • Downtown streets
  • Residential streets
  • Collector streets
  • Arterial streets
  • High pedestrian activity areas
  • Long pedestrian crossing distances

Not Suitable for:

  • Low pedestrian activity areas
  • Narrow streets
  • High truck volumes

Two Lane chokers on a two way street

Function similarly to bulbouts but at mid-block locations

Suitable for:

  • Wide streets
  • High cut-through volumes

Not Suitable for:

  • Emergency access routes
  • High on-street parking demand
  • High bicycle volumes

A center island on a two way street

Concrete medians that define travel lanes and secure pedestrian right-of-way

Suitable for:

  • Wide residential streets
  • Collector streets
  • Mid-block crossings
  • Long crossing distances
  • High pedestrian activity areas
  • Locations with speeding concerns

Not Suitable for:

  • Narrow roadways

A traffic circle in a residential neighborhood

Require drivers to slowly maneuver through an intersection

Suitable for:

  • Residential streets
  • Collector streets
  • Locations with speeding concerns
  • High accident rate

Not Suitable for:

  • Horizontal curvature
  • Vertical curvature

A roundabout in the middle of a residential neighborhood

Require drivers to slowly maneuver through an intersection operating with yield control

Suitable for:

  • Collector streets
  • Arterial streets
  • Locations with speeding concerns
  • High accident rate

Not Suitable for:

  • Horizontal curvature
  • Vertical curvature

A winding one way road

Force drivers to make slight maneuvers, resulting in slower vehicle speeds

Suitable for: 

  • Residential streets
  • Collector streets
  • Arterial Streets
  • Locations with speeding concerns

Not Suitable for:

  • High vehicle volumes

Two chicanes on a one way street

Functions similarly to lateral shifts and require less roadway re-configurations

Suitable for:

  • Wide residential streets
  • Wide Collector streets

Not Suitable for:

  • Arterial streets
  • Emergency access routes
  • High on-street parking demand
  • High bicycle traffic

Two speed lumps on a two way street

Slow driver speeds with vertical roadway deflections

Suitable for:

  • Residential streets
  • Persistent speeding
  • High cut-through volumes

Not Suitable for:

  • Collector streets
  • Arterial streets

A raised crosswalk at a busy crossing

Slow driver speeds with vertical deflections and emphasis of pedestrian right-of-way

Suitable for:

  • School zones
  • Residential streets
  • Mid-block crossings
  • High pedestrian activity areas

Not Suitable for:

  • Arterial streets
  • Intersections

A raised intersection at a four-way stop

Slow drivers speed by emphasizing a “shared zone” with pedestrians and bicyclists

Suitable for:

  • School zones
  • Residential streets
  • Mid-block crossings
  • High pedestrian activity areas

Not Suitable for:

  • Arterial streets
  • Intersections

Some diagonal diverters in a residential neighborhood

Reduce traffic entering neighborhoods by permanently detouring certain routes

Suitable for:

  • Residential streets
  • Locations with speeding concerns
  • Limited access desired

Not Suitable for:

  • Arterial streets
  • Collector streets if significant traffic
  • diversion anticipated

A partial closure in a residential neighborhood

Reduce traffic entering neighborhoods by permanently restricting one direction of traffic

Suitable for:

  • Residential streets
  • Locations with speeding concerns
  • Limited access desired

Not Suitable for:

  • Arterial streets
  • Collector streets if significant traffic diversion anticipated

A full closure in a residential neighborhood

Reduce traffic entering neighborhoods by permanently restricting vehicular access

Suitable for:

  • Residential streets
  • Locations with speeding concerns
  • Limited access desired

Not Suitable for:

  • Arterial streets
  • Collector streets if significant traffic diversion anticipated

A forced turn island on a downtown street

Raised concrete islands separate turning traffic from through traffic when approaching an intersection

Suitable for:

  • Residential streets
  • Collector streets
  • Locations with speeding concerns
  • Limited access desired

Not Suitable for:

  • N/A