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News from the Keweenaw Peninsula May 22, 2005   Text and photos © 2005 Michele Anderson.

Hancock Council approves speed bumps in subdivision

By Michele Anderson

HANCOCK -- Responding to a petition from about 20 residents, the Hancock City Council approved a resolution to place two sets of speed bumps on Crestwood Drive in the Sylvan Estates subdivision of west Hancock. Residents had addressed the Council during recent meetings, explaining the danger -- especially to small children in the neighborhood -- from cars exceeding the speed limit on a regular basis. 

"We had overwhelming support from the neighborhood," said Jennifer Norkol, Crestwood Drive resident, who addressed the Council with her own and neighbors' concerns during the May 4 and May 18 City Council public comment periods.

At the May 18 meeting of the Hancock City Council, Jennifer Norkol, Crestwood Drive resident, explains residents' petition for speed bumps to control increased traffic and speeding in the neighborhood. At right is Bill Laitila, Ward 1 councilman. (Photo © 2005 Michele Anderson)

Norkol said traffic in the neighborhood has increased "dramatically" in the five years she has lived on Crestwood Drive.

Another Crestwood Drive resident, Marilyn Heinonen, told the Council the traffic is very busy going both up and down the street. Since there are no sidewalks, she does not dare walk in the street with her grandchildren.

"By the time the cars get down to my house they are going 45 to 50 m.p.h.," Heinonen said.  

Heinonen said the drivers pay no attention to the 25 m.p.h. speed limit and "Slow -- Children" signs on the street. 

"Sometimes they're kicking up gravel -- they're going so fast," she noted.

Merle Kindred, who also lives on Crestwood, said it's often dangerous for her to pull out of her driveway.

"It is a residential street. It isn't a shortcut to anywhere," Kindred stated. "I have noticed we have several tiny children at the top of Crestwood."

Kindred said she agreed with the neighbors that these children must be protected and if anything happened to them she would hold both the Council members and the Chief of Police responsible.

At the same May 18 Council meeting, Susan Burack, former Hancock City councilwoman, reported to the Council that slowing down traffic and enforcing speed limits were among the top concerns expressed by the Hancock Discussion Groups during two recent workshops on Community Design, held at Michigan Tech.*

Susan Burack, left, summarizes concerns discussed by Hancock residents during Community Design workshops held recently at MTU. Also pictured here, at the Council's May 18, 2005, meeting are, from left, Bill Laitila, Ward 1 councilman; Mary Tuisku, councilwoman at large; Robert Lewis, councilman at large; and Glenn Anderson, city manager. (Photo © 2005 Michele Anderson)

In a May 14, 2005, letter to City Manager Glenn Anderson, Hancock Chief of Police Mike Beaudoin writes: "Placing speed bumps on residential streets in my opinion is not the answer to improving the safety level of residential streets. Residential streets have a 25 m.p.h. speed limit."

Chief Beaudoin notes in the letter that, if the city does decide to go with the speed bumps, he would advise adequate signage to warn motorists of the speed bumps so that a vehicle traveling at 25 m.p.h. would not hit a speed bump and lose control.

Warning signs at entrance to Hancock Campground warn motorists of speed bump and children in the area. Although these are removable speed bumps, they remain in the campground when it is closed in the winter and not plowed. The small gap at the end of the bump allows bicycle passage. Speed bumps are painted bright yellow to call attention to them. (Photo © 2005 Michele Anderson)

In a telephone interview, Chief Beaudoin said, "My only request is that, if other people request speed bumps, are we going to put them all over the city?"

He said the Hancock police had been to the Sylvan Estates area and he was aware of children in the neighborhood. 

"Everybody is concerned about their children, and there's children all over town," Chief Beaudoin noted. "Certainly I'm concerned about everybody's safety on the streets."

Speed bumps are usually used near school grounds, parks and other locations where there is a lot of foot traffic, but normally not on residential streets, where Michigan law states the speed limit should be 25 m.p.h., he explained.** 

Joyce Belopavlovich, an employee at Hancock's public campground, said the speed bumps there are helpful in slowing traffic, especially at the beginning of the season.

"But when people get used to them, they're not as willing to slow down," she said.

Joyce Belopavlovich, Hancock Campground employee, stands near a "permanent" speed bump in the campground. (Photo © 2005 Michele Anderson)

Last summer, she noted, a motor home damaged two of the speed bumps with a part of the vehicle that was cranked too low. The speed bumps had to be replaced. Some of the speed bumps in the campground are attached by bolts and removable, while others are more or less a "permanent" part of the pavement.

Speed bumps require vehicles to slow down to 5 m.p.h. or less or close to a stop to avoid damage to either the driver, the vehicle or anything fragile transported in the vehicle. 

Any vehicle needs to slow down to less than 5 m.p.h. or nearly stop, as this one did in the Hancock Campground, in order to cross speed bumps safely. (Photo © 2005 Michele Anderson)

Houghton Police Sgt. Jim Raffaelli described the use of speed bumps to slow traffic in certain areas of Houghton, e.g., on Clark Street, in Michigan Tech's Daniell Heights apartment complex and along Lake Shore Drive near the beach. 

"As a matter of fact, it deters traffic," Sgt. Raffaelli said. "If you know a street has speed bumps, you have a tendency to avoid that street; and it does in fact slow traffic down."

Chief Beaudoin said he didn't consider Crestwood Drive a high-traffic area compared to Hancock's main thoroughfares in that area, such as Elevation, Ingot, Birch and White streets.

Another Crestwood Drive resident, Peg Olson, said Crestwood is not designed to be a thoroughfare, but it is used as one.

"I'm amazed that this is a city development without sidewalks," Olson said.

David Massoglia, councilman at large, called the lack of sidewalks "poor planning on the city's part."

"After somebody gets hit it's too late," he said.

Both Massoglia and Ward 1 Councilman Bill Laitila mentioned the need for more enforcement of speed limits.

Chief Beaudoin said the police cars go through Sylvan Estates, but with the limited size of his staff the busier streets usually need more patrolling.

"Of course they're not going to spend as much time in Sylvan Estates as in other areas," he said. "If they're having a problem with traffic we'll try to put a car there." 

Massoglia lives on the corner of Poplar and Willow, which is close to Hancock High School and not far from Crestwood Drive. He said the speeding is mainly a problem of teenage drivers. 

"After school it's like a drag race," Massoglia noted. "I  bet I probably scream at two or three a day." 

Councilwoman Sarah Heinonen Baratono, Ward 2, agreed the teenage drivers are dangerous. 

"I live in the neighborhood, too," she said. "It's scary walking on Poplar."

Noting the Hancock Police have only seven full-time officers and some part-time, Chief Beaudoin said he did not have enough staff to police the high school every day.

Lisa McKenzie, mayor pro-tem, said in the past the Council has supported residents who wanted speed bumps.

At their May 18 meeting in City Hall,  Hancock City Council members consider a residents' petition for speed bumps on Crestwood Drive. Pictured, from left, are Robert Lewis, councilman at large; Glenn Anderson, city manager; Barry Givens, mayor (Ward 3); Karen Haischer, clerk; Sarah Heinonen Baratono, Ward 2 councilwoman; Lisa McKenzie, mayor pro tem; and David Massoglia, councilman at large. (Photo © 2005 Michele Anderson)

At Large Council Members Robert Lewis and Mary Tuisku both said something needs to be done and speed bumps should be tried.

Said Tuisku, "I think we've got to do whatever we have to do to slow down the traffic. If speed bumps don't work then we'll have to explore other options."

The Council voted unanimously in support of a resolution to place speed bumps in two locations on Crestwood Drive -- one near Crestwood Glade and one near the Norkol residence at 1007 Crestwood Drive.

At the request of residents, the Hancock City Council approved a resolution to place speed bumps near this intersection of Crestwood Glade (small street, left) and Crestwood Drive in Sylvan Estates. Another speed bump is to be placed a little farther up the grade of Crestwood Drive. (Photo © 2005 Michele Anderson)

"It's a start," said resident Marilyn Heinonen. "I'm very happy."

Councilwoman Sarah Heinonen Baratono noted the importance of warning people, especially high school drivers, to be aware of the danger of hitting a speed bump while driving too fast.

The Center for Transportation Research and Education at Iowa State University explains why speed bumps can't be used on all streets to slow traffic: "They (speed bumps) consist of a portion of raised pavement, but because of their abruptness their use is very restricted. In fact, most speed bumps are found in parking lots and or along private roadways. Their height is typically between three and six inches, and they are usually only one to three feet long. Speed bumps produce substantial driver discomfort, damage to the vehicle suspension, and/or loss of control if encountered at too high a speed. This is one reason speed bumps are not used on public roadways. In general, vehicles must slow to about five miles per hour or less for a speed bump ..."***

Speed bumps have caused controversy in some communities because, while intended to slow traffic and protect pedestrians, they can cause problems if drivers hit them at high speeds and can slow down emergency vehicles.

"The dispute is being played out around the country, with rescue workers at odds with residents who say the speeding autos threaten their peaceful environment and safety. From Montgomery County, Md., to Boulder, Colo., to Portland, Ore., residents are debating the pros and cons of speed bumps," says a 1998 article by a Chicago Tribune reporter.****

The article quotes Alex Weiss, (at that time) executive associate director of Northwestern University's Traffic Institute as saying, "'The dilemma in residential areas is that there is not enough traffic to justify a police officer being there for a long period of time to enforce the speed law. Speed bumps are a good alternative when police enforcement is not always available.'"

On the other hand, Weiss pointed out that a change in one part of the traffic system can cause an unexpected change in another part. The article notes speed bumps can not only delay emergency vehicles but can damage "bulky fire engines and delicate medical equipment on ambulances if drivers don't slow down enough."

Chief Beaudoin agreed that the bumps could slow down emergency vehicles. 

"Everybody who comes to that bump has to slow down (including an ambulance)," he said.

The City of Portland, Ore., did a study in 1996 on "The Influence of Traffic Calming Devices on Fire Vehicle Travel Times." The purpose of the study was to present how speed bumps and traffic circles affect fire vehicle travel times. Vehicles of varying characteristics were tested on two streets with 22-foot speed bumps, two with 14-foot speed bumps and two with traffic circles. Vehicles on the 22-foot bumps experienced the shortest delay per bump. The results of the study provided quantitative data for determining the impacts of one or more traffic calming devices on fire response times along a given emergency response route. The study concluded more information would be needed for a full assessment of the impacts -- to be balanced with the safety benefits of the calming devices.*****

Later, Portland city officials worked out a compromise between neighborhood groups and rescue agencies by banning speed bumps on specially designated routes for emergency vehicles, but allowing them to be used elsewhere.****

Sgt. Raffaelli said problems with emergency vehicles can be avoided by planning ahead. Knowing an area has speed bumps, you try to find an alternate route for the emergency vehicle. He noted the speed bumps near the beach are near housing. In a rescue situation, the emergency vehicle driver would have to be aware of the best route to reach the housing while avoiding the bumps.

"It's a very interesting issue as to the pros and cons of putting them in," Sgt. Raffaelli said. "Except for the emergency vehicle issue, they do in fact slow down or deter traffic."

Editor's notes: * See our article on the first of these workshops (May 10), "Local residents, community leaders discuss design for better development." An article on the second workshop (May 17) is coming soon. ** See Michigan Vehicle Code on speed limits. *** Emphasis mine. Read this article on the Iowa State University's Center for Transportation Research and Education Web site (Frequently Asked Question 9). **** Read this article on the Americans for Traffic Calming Reform Web site.  ***** Read this study on the City of Portland Web site. Information gathered from these sites does not necessarily reflect the views of Keweenaw Now. This is the second in a series of articles on pedestrian issues in Hancock. See also "Hancock residents concerned about walkability."

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