CLEVELAND, Ohio-This week, Mayor Justin Bibb and the City of Cleveland Department of Public Works team kicked off the inaugural summer speed table program with a commitment to install 100 asphalt speed tables to slow traffic and increase pedestrian safety.
The speed table program is made possible through the Back to Basics Capital Fund, the city's $30 million American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) investment in city street upgrades, traffic calming initiatives, and playground and park improvements.
ARPA is part of President Joe Biden's investment in American cities initiative. Cleveland is a largely Black major American city.
Data show that the population motor-vehicle death rate in the country reached its peak in 1937 with 30.8 deaths per 100,000. The current rate is 13.8 per 100,000, representing a 55% improvement.
"This project is critical because we know that lower speeds save lives," said Bibb in a statement. "There are studies that show a one mile-per-hour reduction in vehicle speeds on urban streets results in a six percent decrease in traffic fatalities. Physical traffic calming works and is an important component of our all-of-government approach to summer safety."
The first three speed tables were installed Tuesday afternoon on E. 140th Street south of Kinsman to start this summer's construction. Next week, City crews plan to begin installation in Ward 15 and Ward 11 and will continue to rotate to locations across the city, as weather permits.
"I consistently hear from residents in my ward concerned about speeding and the safety concerns that reckless driving creates," said Ward 2 Councilman Kevin L.Bishop, chair of council's Municipal Services and Properties Committee. "Council is pleased to support the speed table program and we want to hear from residents about how it's working."
Throughout the summer the asphalt speed tables will be installed by members of Cleveland's Public Works team in targeted locations citywide.
The speed table program is primarily focused on local streets with medium traffic volumes (1,000 to 4,000 vehicles per day) and documented speeding issues (average speeds near 25+ miles per hour, and 85th percentile speeds near 31plus miles per hour). The program also prioritizes locations with crash history or the presence of schools, parks, and other areas with high pedestrian volumes.
"As we kick off these first 100 speed tables, we will be continually taking in requests from residents and collecting traffic data around the city," said Cleveland's Senior Strategist for Transit and Mobility Calley Mersmann "This represents just the start, and we will add locations to the list on an ongoing basis. Speed tables on local residential streets make it more comfortable to play in the yard, walk and bike on the street, and even back out of driveways—improving safety and quality of life in our neighborhoods."
