01
Slow excessive speeds
A thoughtfully placed series of residential speed humps can change driver behavior on the treated street.
SMORTLER + SI / Violet's neighborhood traffic lab
Slower streets.
Slower streets.
Stronger neighborhoods?
Can thoughtfully designed speed humps make a neighborhood feel safer and more desirable? Violet explores the benefits, the tradeoffs, and what the research actually says about property values.
The important distinction: Properly designed speed humps can reduce speeds. That is a measurable safety and livability benefit, but it does not prove that the resale value of every nearby home will rise. Buyer preferences, the street, the placement and other measures all matter.
02
Support everyday walking
Families, older residents and people with pets may feel more comfortable when neighborhood traffic is predictable.
03
Evaluate neighborhood appeal
Some buyers value calmer streets; others dislike repeated humps, noise and the feeling of an interrupted drive.
04
Choose the right treatment
Humps, cushions, tables, visibility improvements and other measures suit different streets and emergency routes.
Measured traffic effects / real-world samples
What speed humps can change - and what they cannot promise
The Federal Highway Administration's traffic-calming review reports measurable reductions in excessive speed and an average reduction in vehicle volume across sampled sites. These are historical study findings, not projections for your neighborhood.
highly excessive speeds / 26 study sites14% to 1%
Share of vehicles traveling at least 10 mph above the posted limit in a study of 26 speed hump locations, before versus after.
Visual scale: 20% represents the full bar. Source: FHWA Traffic Calming ePrimer, Module 4.
reported volume change / 187 study sites20% average
Average reduction in reported daily traffic across 187 hump locations. Individual roads varied widely, including some with no reduction or an increase.
Illustrates the reported average only. It is not a forecast or a guarantee of local results.
FHWA distinguishes residential speed humps, which have a broad gradual profile, from sharper parking-lot-style speed bumps. Design details, spacing, signs, fire access and drainage must be determined through the local road authority.
Violet's interactive neighborhood lab
Does your street warrant a traffic-calming review?
Select a neighborhood scenario, or change the conditions individually. This educational tool suggests what to investigate next; it does not design a traffic device, calculate crash risk, or estimate property values.
Step 1 - Describe the street
A reasonable case for a professional assessment
With speeding concerns and regular street activity, talk with your local road authority about data collection and appropriate treatment options.
Measure speeds firstCheck emergency accessDo not predict resale prices
Step 2 - Explore the roadway
Conceptual top-down illustration - not a geometric plan or traffic engineering diagram.
Remember: A properly engineered residential hump is not the same as a steep parking-lot bump. Roadway design, emergency routes, noise, maintenance and resident preferences all affect whether it fits.
Neither the diagram nor this scenario tool estimates home prices. For that, you would need local comparable sales and professional analysis.
Property-value research / a closer look
Do speed bumps raise home values? The evidence is mixed.
The original SMORTLER argument emphasizes safety and the feeling of a well-managed neighborhood. Those are meaningful considerations. But residential sale-price studies have not established a universal increase from speed bumps, so this guide avoids promising one.
Safety and speed evidence
FHWA documents measurable reductions in speed on treated streets. That supports the traffic-calming rationale, not a specific dollar change in nearby homes.
FHWA Traffic Calming ePrimer, Modules 3 and 4.
1999 Georgia housing analysis
A matched-neighborhood comparison in Gwinnett County reported no statistically significant and consistent effect of speed humps on house values.
Transportation Research Board / TRID: The Economic Impact of Speed Humps on Housing Values.
2019 residential study
A separate study reported a negative association and estimated installation effect in its sampled neighborhoods. The setting and methods limit how broadly its results apply.
Graham and Jones, A Bump in the Road, International Journal of Housing Markets and Analysis.
Takeaway: A well-designed safety improvement can be desirable to many residents without being a guaranteed real-estate investment. Treat resale impact as an open, local question and measure traffic improvements separately.
A familiar SMORTLER story / just for fun
The delivery-driver epiphany
The first time a driver encounters an unexpected neighborhood hump, it can become a surprisingly memorable lesson in paying attention. Imagine a takeout bag, four drinks, a tray of fries, and a driver realizing that the street is not a racetrack.
Violet's advice is simpler: slow down before the hump, respect the posted speed, and keep the drinks in their holders. The goal isn't to launch dinner into orbit - it's a safe, predictable street where nobody needs to brake at the last second.
A good traffic-calming device is not a trap. It should be approved, clearly signed, appropriately located, and designed for predictable vehicle movements. The original SMORTLER driver story is fictional humor, not a safety demonstration.
Community discussion worksheet
Eight things to check before asking for speed humps
Use this as a planning checklist, not a construction permit or engineering study. Progress is saved only in your browser. Print it for a neighborhood meeting or to discuss the issue with your local street department.
0 of 8 planning checks complete.
Violet answers common questions
What to ask at the neighborhood meeting
Are speed humps and speed bumps the same?
Not exactly. People often use the terms interchangeably, but formal residential speed humps are typically much broader and gentler than the abrupt devices found in some parking lots.
Will the city pay for installation?
Not necessarily. Eligibility, public-versus-private ownership, permits, surveys, financing and maintenance differ by city and local road authority. Do not assume there is no cost to homeowners.
Will they eliminate all speeding?
No. Traffic calming can reduce speeds in treated areas, but speed effects vary with design, spacing and driver behavior. Use measured local results when evaluating success.
Could they lower some property values?
Possibly. Noise, braking, visibility, placement and frequent travel over devices can matter to some buyers. Published studies have reported neutral and negative impacts in certain residential settings, not a universal uplift.
What about emergency vehicles?
Fire and ambulance travel can be delayed by vertical measures. A local engineer should coordinate with emergency services and may consider alternatives such as speed cushions.
What would be the best argument to our city?
Bring observed traffic speeds, volumes, pedestrian activity, crash history, locations of concern and support from residents. A safety-centered request grounded in facts is stronger than a promised increase in resale prices.
Want the other side of the discussion? Read When Speed Bumps Might Not Help Property Values. Violet will tackle that companion guide next.
General neighborhood education only, not financial, real-estate, traffic-engineering or legal advice. A professional appraisal and an appropriate traffic study are needed for site-specific conclusions.