Staff to revise speed-abatement program after snow-plow damage to cushions on Northwest 36th

Traffic Services staff reported to the commission on Feb. 16 that the city learned a lesson about using physical traffic-calming devices on designated snow routes.

"There are some speed cushions which are in place on Northwest 36th Street, which ... were unknown to us as being a snow route," the staff presenter said, noting several cushions were damaged by snow plows and later reinstalled. The presenter said staff will return later in the year with recommended amendments to the alternative speed-abatement program, and that one likely change is to avoid installing speed cushions or other physical in-road calming measures on streets designated as snow routes.

The presenter also cautioned that closely spaced signals and other calming measures can create traffic backups and add timing challenges, and invited commissioners to ask questions about the monthly report and the planned program amendments.