Traffic Calming Frequently Asked Questions

Studies have shown that certain traffic-calming measures, especially vertical measures such as speed humps and raised crosswalks, can slow fire trucks and other emergency vehicles by about eight to 10 seconds each. This impact will be additive with a series of measures.

Transportation Services staff always endeavour to inform residents requesting traffic-calming measures of their impacts on emergency response times.

Speed humps and raised crosswalks are gradually sloped so that snow plow blades go over without damage to them or the pavement surface.

There is no evidence to suggest that traffic-calming measures either raise or lower residential property values.

Speed humps (and raised crosswalks) in the city of Vaughan are seven metres (20 feet) long and 100 millimetres (four inches) high. The City found these dimensions to be the best compromise between being severe enough to slow most vehicles, yet forgiving enough to not unduly impact emergency response times.

All traffic-calming measures are subject to installation warrants.

Technically, speed humps and raised crosswalks should not be installed where there are curves in the road that would make them hard to see or where they would interfere with residential driveways. The same applies to medians, curb extensions/road narrowing and chicanes, which also effect on-street parking.

Raised intersections are difficult to retrofit into existing streets because of their impacts on drainage, and roundabouts are difficult to retrofit because of the amount of land required. For these reasons raised intersections and roundabouts are usually constructed in new developments.