LAKE WORTH, FL -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 03/26/08 -- At the South Grade Elementary School in Lake
Worth, Florida, crossing 8th Avenue South to get to school was a dangerous
task for children. The school is located in a well-populated residential
neighborhood. With the city's grid street system, cars were often speeding
past the school to get through to other local streets. Many students cross
8th Ave South daily as the school's main pedestrian ingress and egress. The
principal requested that traffic calming be put
into place to protect the school's children.
The city used a unique application in mind for the South Grade school. The
goal was to slow cars down with an effective traffic calming device while
simultaneously providing a safe way for children arriving and leaving
school to cross the street.
Several products were considered for the task. Lake Worth decided to use a
speed table and
reconfigure it to meet their requirements. Since the product would be used
for schoolchildren to cross the street safely, it was important to the city
that the table be level from one sidewalk to the other without any gaps or
tripping hazards. In order to create this unique device, the product chosen
needed to offer the flexibility necessary to be reconfigured. The Traffic
Logix speed table was chosen as the best suited for the city's purpose.
In addition to the flexibility that the Traffic Logix speed table offered,
John Lamb, the manager of the project, noted that he appreciated that while
many rubber products require a structure beneath them, the Traffic Logix
tables could be bolted right into the ground using a simple anchor system.
He also pointed out that the enhanced visibility the products offered was
an important selling point. The bright highway tape is particularly crucial
at the school site to warn cars in advance and protect the safety of
pedestrians. He also commented on the ease of installation the products
offer. The installation was able to be done without many tools or a large
crew and no street closures were necessary.
The way that the city constructed the solution using the 21' Traffic Logix speed
table was to leave off the end caps which generally leave a gap between
the street and the sidewalk. However, since the end caps are what provides
drainage for the table, a separate drainage system was necessary. Metal
grates were installed next to the sidewalk on both sides of the street and
concrete curbing was placed between the grate and the table. This allows
for any water to drain off the table into the grate while allowing the
table to be flush across the street for safe crossing.
Local residents and school parents are happy with the table's effect on
street safety. It effectively slows cars down while also allowing children
to safely cross the street. Residents noted that the speed table is
"eye-catching" and has been a very successful undertaking. Mr. Lamb noted
that when the city installs asphalt products, they often receive complaints
from residents that the products are an eyesore to the street's aesthetics.
In addition, asphalt needs to be continually repainted as the paint fades
and visibility becomes difficult. The rubber speed tables, on the other
hand, have resulted in no complaints or problems. "It's highly visible,"
Mr. Lamb commented, "the residents and the kids both like it, and it
works."
In addition to the speed table that has been installed at South Grade
elementary school, Lake Worth has purchased several additional Traffic
Logix speed
humps. These humps will be installed on South Lake Side Drive to
replace asphalt speed humps. The humps were removed recently when a utility
project took place on the street. The new rubber products will offer the
versatility of being able to be removed for repaving or additional utility
work.
The city intends to continue to use the Traffic Logix products for
additional traffic calming projects in the future.
* Please note: As per ADA regulations, Traffic Logix speed tables are not
intended for use as crosswalks. Modifications should only be made in
consultation with professional transportation engineers.
.gif)
