[Adopted 3-18-2020 by Ord. No. 8-2020]
The purpose of this article is to provide guidance and objectivity
in the evaluation and selection of roadways for the installation of
speed humps. Prior to the approval and installation of speed humps,
the City shall authorize a traffic study of the impacted area. Where
appropriate, other temporary traffic-calming measures should be considered
and/or implemented prior to the installation of speed humps.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
Otherwise known as the "critical speed," the speed at or
below which 85% of the traffic is moving. The 85th percentile speed
is used as one of the criteria to determine if a street qualifies
for speed lumps.
The Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Transportation.
A street whose primary function is to provide the initial
access to the collector and arterial roadways. These facilities are
characterized by short trips, low speeds, and small traffic volumes.
A raised area of pavement intended to control vehicular speed
in conformity with New Jersey law, Title 39 of the Revised Statutes
and the New Jersey Department of Transportation and the design specifications
therein, including the engineering specifications for maximum height,
profile, and minimum and maximum length. Speed humps include speed
tables, cushions, and lumps.
A twenty-four-hour survey of traffic speeds and volume conducted
by the use of a magnetic sensor(s) or air pressure hose(s) to determine
the percentage of traffic exceeding the speed limit.
A.
Requests for speed humps shall be in writing and directed to the
attention of the Director of Public Works. The Director of Public
Works shall provide a copy of the request to the appropriate internal
departments, including but not limited to the City Engineer.
B.
A request will only qualify for consideration if the following criteria
is met:
(1)
The roadway must be a City-owned and -maintained street;
(2)
The initial request must originate from the resident(s) living on
the street;
(3)
The roadway must be a two-lane residential or one-way residential
street with a posted speed limit of 30 miles per hour or less and
which has fewer than 3,000 vehicles per day; or the street is located
within 500 feet of a school or any property used for school purposes
subject to the provisions of Section 3 of P.L. 2004, c. 107 (N.J.S.A.
39:4-8.11);
(4)
The street must be in reasonably good condition as determined by
the City Engineer in his or her sole discretion or be incorporated
as part of a roadway resurfacing project;
(5)
Dead-end streets and culs-de-sac shall not be considered for speed
humps;
(6)
Speed humps may be located on streets that contain horizontal curves,
but the hump itself must not be located within the horizontal curve.
Safe stopping sight distance must always be provided;
(7)
Speed humps may not be located on a street with a vertical grade
with more than an eight-percent change on the immediate approaches
where the visibility of the hump may be restricted;
(8)
Special consideration must be given to streets without curb and gutter
to accommodate drainage and prevent vehicle runarounds; and
(9)
The City shall provide appropriate notice to any municipality or
county whose roads may be impacted by the installation of a speed
hump.
C.
A resident petition must be included with the request for a speed
hump and shall describe the conditions to be remediated. The petition
must be signed by a two-thirds majority of property owners within
the project area in support of the installation of the speed humps
(City Engineer to determine project or impact area).
D.
After verification of the petition and the request, the City Engineer's
office will conduct a traffic/speed survey and make a determination
of the street's eligibility in a timely manner.
(1)
If the street is determined to be ineligible for speed hump installation,
the applicant(s) will be notified in writing.
(2)
The decision may be appealed, in writing, to the Director of Public
Works giving reasons for the same.
(3)
If the street is determined to be eligible, the street will be placed
on a list of streets eligible for speed hump installation maintained
by the City Engineer's office.
All requests that meet the initial eligibility requirements
will be formally evaluated as described below:
A.
After a determination of the impact or project area as determined
by the City Engineer, the applicant shall provide notice to all residents
within such area of the request and the right of any resident to object
by providing written notice of objection to the attention of the City
Clerk within 10 days of receipt of notice of the request. Notice shall
be by certified mail, return receipt requested. Applicants must submit
proof of notice by providing the City Clerk with receipts from each
resident within the impact or project area, or proof of mailing and
failure of a resident to accept notice.
B.
A traffic/speed survey shall indicate that the 85th percentile speed
is at least five or more miles per hour over the speed limit.
C.
The determination of the length of street segments for purposes of
placement of speed humps shall be based upon the professional evaluation
of the City Engineer.
[Amended 3-24-2021 by Ord. No. 09-2021]
D.
Pursuant to the provisions of Section 3 of P.L. 2004, c. 107 (N.J.S.A.
39:4-8.11):
(1)
Prior to a municipality or county constructing a speed hump which
places any impact on roadways in an adjoining municipality or county,
the governing board or body of the municipality or county shall provide
appropriate notice to the adjoining municipality or county.
(2)
Prior to a municipality or county constructing a speed hump which
places any impact on a state roadway, the county or municipality shall
obtain the approval of the Commissioner.
E.
The street must be approved by the Director of Public Works, Atlantic
City Police Department, Atlantic City Fire Department and Atlantic
City Emergency Management, and their written approval must accompany
the application.
F.
All applications that have met the eligibility requirements and have
received approval from the Director of Public Works, Atlantic City
Police Department, Atlantic City Fire Department and Atlantic City
Emergency Management shall be submitted to the City Engineer's office
for review and approval.
H.
After City Council has had sufficient time to review the request
and comments, the Council shall vote on the request. If the request
receives approval of Council, it shall pass to the prioritization
phase.
A.
The installation of speed humps will be prioritized on a City-wide
basis. Projects shall be prioritized based upon the following factors
as a result of the formal evaluation:
(1)
Date of approved application;
(2)
Comparison of the operating speed or the 85th percentile speed to
the statutory limit;
(3)
Daily traffic count average;
(4)
Accident history;
(5)
Proximity to schools, parks, playgrounds, or other facilities with
high numbers of children, bicycles, or pedestrian uses.
B.
Lower prioritized, but less costly projects may be implemented ahead
of higher prioritized projects if funding levels do not allow the
installation of the higher prioritized projects.
A.
Speed hump layout and design shall be determined by the City Engineer.
All construction shall conform to the New Jersey Department of Transportation
technical standards in place at the time of installation.
B.
The street must have adequate sight distance to safely accommodate
the hump as determined by the City Engineers' office.
C.
Speed humps near drainage inlets should be placed just downstream
of the inlet. Drainage consideration can affect speed hump location
and/or spacing.
D.
Speed humps should not be located within 10 feet of the nearest driveway.
E.
A speed hump must not be located in front of a property if the property
owner objects to its placement.
F.
All speed hump constructed shall conform in design and construction
to the technical standards established by the Department of Transportation.
G.
Advance warning, including, but not limited to, the erection of appropriate
signs giving notice of the presence of speed humps before the first
speed hump in a series of speed humps and pavement markers shall be
placed at the location of the first speed hump. The signing and pavement
markings for a speed hump shall conform to the current standards prescribed
in the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways
as adopted by the Commissioner of Transportation.
H.
The speed hump shall be located a minimum of 250 feet from the nearest
intersecting street.
I.
The distance between speed humps shall be at the discretion of the
City Engineer and within the requirements of the New Jersey Department
of Transportation.
J.
All signage and pavement markings shall conform to the Manual of
Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways.
The process for requests to remove speed humps will follow the
same procedure used to evaluate the installation of speed humps. Absent
any design faults or unforeseen issues that result in unsafe conditions,
the cost of removal shall be borne by the property owners via local
assessment. In the case of fault or unforeseen issues, the City will
bear the full responsibility of the cost of removal.
