Going to the Feds for Speed Bumps
Residents Pursuing Federal Grant
By KATHY STEELE
Published: Mar 4, 2006
SEMINOLE HEIGHTS - City officials say Chelsea and 12th streets haven't passed the test to qualify for speed tables.
So residents are taking another route to slow what they say is a heavy load of speeders in their Southeast Seminole Heights neighborhood - a federal grant. (more...)
4 comments:
Please note in the article that 85% of the drivers were doing 33 mph. When taken w/the fact that the 25 mph speed limit in this neighborhood is an experiment to placate whiners and the REAL speed limit for residential streets in Tampa is 30 mph, then that means 85 % of the drivers are going less than 5 mph over the speed limit. Not bad in my view.
The "Real" speed limit for Tampa residential streets is whatever the posted speed limit is. 30mph only applies when there is no posted speed limit. There are plenty of areas where 25mph is the posted limit. It is obvious that you do not own a home along one of these cut-through streets where the traffic load during peak hours can rival some major throughfares. The speed limit is just that a speed "limit". Why do folks feel that they can just break the law when they don't like it? The point is the studies are skewed in favor of the budget money available, not in the interest of public safety. Am I the only one who thinks that 85% and 10mph over is a grossly exaggerated requirement, this means that nearly everyone who drives the street must drive 140% of the posted limit for action to be taken, not just a majority of drivers. 10mph over 55 is proportionally a lot less than 10mph over 25. The biggest surprise is that law enforcement doesnt take advantage of these areas post- study to pad the coffers. Seems like 85% of the traffic doing 8mph over the limit would net quite a chunk of change.
According to the article, it costs an average of $60,000 for a traffic calming project. That is the problem. Obviously there are too many studies to be completed and too much regulation. You really only need some concrete/asphalt/whatever, some pain and a few signs. It costs 60,000. That is absurd.
Wilder between Florida and Central is a dragstrip. It is wider so large trucks can access Hillsborough HS. The speeds on this road are excessive, 24 hours a day.
After reading the various articles and messages regarding the govt red tape, I realize it would be a total waste of time to pursue speed tables on Wilder.
Based on their criteria, the average speed on the road is probably 4mph due to the standstill traffic that lines up to drop off and pick up kids. The sheer volume of slow moving school traffic will more than offset the 6 or 7 cars per hour, day and night that do 50 mph on Wilder.
As with the neighborhood in SESH, the volume of speeders is much greater during rush hour. Wilder gets a lot of traffic from people wishing to avoid the north south split on Florida Ave. One can avoid two traffic signals by cutting down Wilder.
If a road needed speed bumps, it is Wilder. Sadly, it will take a serious accident for something to happen. We have had a few close calls in the past few months.
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