Enhancing Safety and Livability: Redwood City’s Traffic Calming Initiatives
Traffic safety has been a significant focus for Redwood City in recent years, with an emphasis on improving conditions for all street users, whether they are driving, walking, biking, or using public transit. One of the key strategies the city employs is “traffic calming,” a set of physical measures designed to reduce the negative impacts of motor vehicle use, alter driver behavior, and create safer environments for non-motorized users.
What is Traffic Calming?
The Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) defines traffic calming as physical interventions that slow down traffic, enhance safety, and improve the quality of life for residents. In Redwood City, traffic calming is not just a concept, but an actionable policy backed by strategic plans. The City’s approach involves addressing resident concerns through a structured process, considering factors such as traffic speed, volume, accident history, and pedestrian activity.
Roosevelt Avenue: A Case Study in Traffic Calming
One of the neighborhoods benefiting from these efforts is the area around Roosevelt Avenue. The average speed, collision history, and existence of major pedestrian generators along Roosevelt Avenue such as Red Morton Park and Roosevelt Elementary school made it a prime candidate for traffic calming measures. The City’s approach to Roosevelt Avenue is representative of our broader commitment to enhancing neighborhood safety and livability.
Residents in the Roosevelt area, concerned about speeding, have petitioned for traffic calming solutions. In response, the City has evaluated the street. Roosevelt Avenue qualified for traffic calming interventions based on average speeds, collisions, and frequent pedestrian use.
The Process and Impact
Implementing traffic calming on a street like Roosevelt Avenue is not a quick process; it involves planning, design, neighborhood outreach, and securing funding. Projects of this nature often require years to move from conception to completion. A good example is the recently completed Hopkins Avenue project, which showcased the careful consideration and community involvement necessary for successful traffic calming.
To ensure that the proposed solutions are effective, Redwood City often employs a “quick-build” approach. This method allows the City to test various traffic calming measures — such as speed humps, curb extensions, and enhanced crosswalks — before making permanent changes. This testing phase is crucial for gathering community feedback and making adjustments that truly meet the needs of residents.
Looking Ahead
Traffic calming is an ongoing effort in Redwood City, with a balanced allocation of resources to address both neighborhood streets like Roosevelt Avenue and major corridors such as Broadway and Whipple Avenue. The City’s commitment to traffic safety, backed by strong community involvement and data-driven decision-making, is helping to create safer, more livable neighborhoods.
As Roosevelt Avenue continues to undergo these improvements, residents can expect a street that better serves all its users, fostering a community where walking, biking, and driving are safer and more enjoyable. Traffic calming efforts are more than just infrastructure projects — they are investments in the quality of life for everyone who calls Redwood City home.
Learn More
Visit our website to learn more about traffic calming projects and infrastructure projects, and you can also find links to our Traffic Calming Request Form and Traffic Calming Petition Form.
