Do “speed humps” have to be so high? Can they be lowered?
In order to lower the raised pedestrian crossings, you would need to completely remove them or modify the ramp leading up to the crosswalk elevation, thus extending the transition length. The heights are determined to be a set 3-inches above the roadway elevation with a uniform ramp length leading up to the top of the crosswalk.
Why do some appear to be lower than others? One factor is how the slope of the road both length-wise and horizontally along the roadway change the angle of how some of the raised pedestrian crossings fit within the roundabout. The raised crosswalks linearly along Range Line Road are the most consistent crosswalks you see in Carmel.
Can they be changed? Anything can be changed through construction (and money spent on construction). But at the present time, we have had a lot of positive feedback regarding the raised pedestrian crosswalks and we have seen positive results by the safer travel speeds through the Range Line Road corridor, when compared to what they used to be. We also used to get many complaints about not being able to cross Range Line Road as a pedestrian – but those complaints have virtually disappeared, at least south of City Center Drive.
Some claim that their vehicles are being damaged, but we have not been made aware of any claims presented to the City for repairs. We talk to people who go over them at 20-25 miles per hour and they do just fine. If you are experiencing any issues, check and make sure you’re not driving too fast.
“We talk to people who go over them at 20-25 miles per hour and they do just fine.”
What’s in the future for these raised pedestrian crossings? We will be modifying the Carmel Drive and Range Line Road roundabout in 2019 to include them. Other than that, as we continue to grow and invest in our urban core we will utilize the best design methods possible to provide high quality infrastructure that is suitable for all forms of transportation.
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Authored by Laura Campbell, Ron Carter, Sue Finkam, Anthony Green, Bruce Kimball, Kevin Rider and Jeff Worrell