Drivers can expect more bumps in the road. The Syracuse Common Council plans to put more speed humps around Syracuse.
The Speed Hump Pilot Program is just one piece to a larger puzzle. Mayor Ben Walsh introduced a strategy called Vision Zero. The goal is to make the streets safer and to eliminate road accidents. Around 50 cities have signed onto this multinational traffic safety project.
Since 2021, various neighborhoods and parks in Syracuse, including the Tipperary Hill, Strathmore and Eastwood areas have had over a dozen speed humps installed. Residents have mixed emotions.
“Nobody likes it. I don’t like it. When they are driving the normal speed limit, 30 miles per hour and then you hit that speed bump, your head is hitting the roof especially if you are in the backseat” said a Syracuse resident.
The City of Syracuse faces several restrictions in determining if a street can qualify for a speed hump. For example, if the road is part of a Centro bus route, it cannot be considered due to the low clearance height that buses have from the ground.
The goal of the speed hump program is to enhance road safety; however, certain areas in Syracuse lack speed bumps. 1st District Councilor, Jen Schultz says the northeast side of Syracuse is too populated to not have this safety measure.
“It’s important to have traffic calming in the district and the fact that we have no speed humps is discouraging but in time,” she said.
In addition, the City continues to work to develop new “speed cushion” designs that slow passenger vehicles but allow fire trucks to drive through quickly without delays.
Data is being collected to evaluate the pilot program’s impact. The City will use the data to make decisions about the speed hump sites and potentially other locations.