The presenter will introduce an innovative speed cushion design which has so far proven to meet the City of Moreno Valley’s goal to reduce speeding, cut-through traffic, and non-impact to emergency services response time. There has always been a high concern for speeding vehicles around schools and in residential communities—an ongoing challenge in almost every city. The City of Moreno Valley traffic engineers worked with schools, residents, city maintenance, and the city fire department to address all concerns with best engineering and safety practices. The biggest challenge was not slowing fire’s response time with a traffic control device designed for speeding. Transportation engineers, in collaboration with the fire department, developed an innovative speed cushion device to reduce speeding without impacting emergency vehicle response time. The innovative “speed cushion” showed success in speed reduction with a before-and-after speed survey. Video monitoring has also shown that roadway operations have not been impacted with services from trash, street sweeping, mail delivery, etc. Residential parking remains ample, there are minimal to no residential complaints, and emergency response teams have not reported any issues or experienced a reduction in response time. The city has been awarded the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) 2024 Build A Better Mousetrap—Innovative “Slow and Safe, Save a Life.” Sharing this success with other agencies will help combat speeding and demand for public safety.
After this session, participants will be better able to:
• Discuss an innovative speed cushion design and its benefits.
• Compare issues for speeding and discuss best practices.
• Evaluate and promote an innovative speed cushion design.
Contributor/Source
Harold Zamora-Engineering Division Manager/Assistant City Engineer, Julien Van Simaeys-Assistant Engineer
Related Resources
Proficiency Levels
Introductory
Focuses on a general or broad overview of the topic, awareness of basic factual recall. Limited experience of the subject matter is necessary to understand content areas.
Applied
Focuses on practical implementation of technical steps or strategies, some prior knowledge and experience of the topic is necessary.
Advanced
Mastery of basic concepts associated with an area has been obtained. Focuses on understanding nuances, advanced concepts, and intricacies with implementation within knowledge area. Strong understanding of how the concept impacts other factors or areas of operations.
Program Types
CLL
Click, Listen & Learn (CLL) are interactive educational webinars. Each program is led by top experts in the field who share new ideas, methods, and technologies in a fast-paced two-hour time frame. These programs are available free to APWA members. CLL programs are eligible for continuing education units (CEUs).
Primer
Primers are used to educate policymakers about public works roles and responsibilities in public rights of way, the impact of federal workforce development policies on the industry and workforce, and the importance of resilient infrastructure.
Public Works Radio Podcast
Public Works Radio is the official podcast of the American Public Works Association (APWA), bringing the stories behind our communities to life. This podcast shines a spotlight on the people and projects that keep our cities running—humanizing the work and the professionals who make it happen. Each episode dives into a wide range of topics designed to educate and inspire, making public works more visible to everyone.
PWX
PWX session recordings cover a wide variety of topics, including integrating modes of transportation, traffic and transit, construction management, emergency management, engineering and technology, fleet and facilities, management, parks and grounds, snow and ice control, and stormwater/flood control, as well as solid waste, roads and bridges and water/wastewater. PWX sessions are eligible for continuing education units (CEUs).
Reporter Articles
APWA Reporter articles are written by public works practitioners on subjects such as solid waste management, water resources, municipal engineering, transportation, equipment services, buildings and grounds, snow removal, and other public works-related topics.
Snow
The Snow Conference session recordings feature public works professionals sharing the latest best practices in managing winter/snow operations more successfully, taking advantage of emerging technologies, understanding and preparing for the challenges ahead, and providing better service to their communities. Snow sessions are eligible for continuing education units (CEUs).
Tech Boxes
A tech box is a PDF take-away that provides information in lists, steps, or defined areas specifically focused on trending technologies.
Virtual Program
Virtual programs are live, interactive educational programs led by top experts in the field who provide timely information or address trending topics within an area. Programs often conclude with an open forum for Q&A.