Dalton, GA slows speeders while letting emergency vehicles pass.
In Dalton, GA, city officials have been resistant to requests for speed bumps in the past. And with good reason. Speed bumps slow emergency vehicles and can even damage vehicles who drive over them too fast. Speed cushions don’t.
A new program in Dalton uses Traffic Logix recycled rubber speed cushions to reduce speeds and improve safety on local roads. Cushions are being installed on two local roads as a pilot program.
For additional streets to be approved, 75% of homeowners need to sign off on the request, among other requirements.
Once that request is made, an evaluation is conducted to determine if speed is indeed a problem. The process involves both the Public Works department and local police department.
The cushions are installed as a series of small speed humps across the road width with room between them for the wider wheel base of emergency vehicles to speed right by. Cars, however, have to slow down and drive over them to get by.
Made of recycled rubber, the speed cushions are environmentally friendly and visually attractive. They are embedded with highly reflective highway tape for optimal visibility.
While the city has so far heard mixed reviews from residents, speed studies show that average speeds have been reduced.