Speed Cushions Are Coming to These 10 Cincinnati-Area Roads

A big infusion of funds could prevent more pedestrian deaths in Cincinnati.

Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval, city council member Mark Jeffreys and other officials have proposed a one-time $1 million bump for pedestrian and motorist safety investments after the city saw jumps in pedestrian deaths in recent years. The new money — which would supplement the city's current safety budget — would come from federal stimulus funds and would need to be approved by Cincinnati City Council.

The new funds could produce safety measures such as hardened centerlines (forcing motorists to make left turns more slowly) and curb bump-outs that offer some protection to pedestrians.

These permanent speed cushions resemble typical speed bumps. Depending on the width of the street, each designated area will have two to five speed cushions installed 300 to 400 feet apart. Each set of speed cushions will stretch across an entire street, from curb to curb, forcing vehicles to slow down to traverse the humps.

DOTE intends to install two to four sets of speed cushions in each of the aforementioned areas, officials say, with more planned for 20 additional neighborhoods if Cincinnati City Council approves the proposed $1 million funding. The department anticipates having the designs ready within the next two months, with construction set to begin during the summer.

“It is exactly this kind of work that provides us the opportunity to measure and expand the innovations that make a difference for our residents,” Pureval says in a press release. “We are here to stand with our residents and community councils who have demanded progress, as we put action behind our commitment to pedestrian safety.”

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Cincinnati to Add More Speed-Reduction Cushions After Successful Pilot Program: In Winton Hills, average vehicle speeds have dropped from 37 mph to 20 mph since installing speed cushions.

To find the areas of Cincinnati that might benefit the most from the use of these speed cushions, DOTE examined data such as the history of crashes involving motorists and pedestrians; proximity to busy neighborhood hubs (like business districts, schools, recreation centers and libraries) and the areas that have higher volumes of people taking public transit. These speed cushions will force motorists to slow down in areas where speeding drivers have harmed or could harm pedestrians.

In September, DOTE installed a series of rubber cushions on Winneste Avenue in Winton Hills as part of a safety pilot program. A report published by the city showed that after the speed cushions were installed, only 11% of the vehicles traveling on that stretch were driving over the posted speed limit of 25 mph. Prior to installing the speed cushions, a whopping 95% of drivers hit speeds above 25 mph.

Pedestrian safety has been a growing concern in Cincinnati neighborhoods. In June, members of the Cincinnati City Council allocated $500,000 of the FY 2022 budget to pedestrian safety improvements, bringing the year's total to about $1.25 million (including the city manager's budget). In 2022 budget documents, the city says that locally, Vision Zero has "developed over 200 pedestrian safety projects in 37 neighborhoods" with 2021 budget funds.

Vision Zero is an initiative to eliminate all traffic-related deaths and injuries, with  increased traffic enforcement, infrastructure improvements and a sweeping plan to change the way the city approaches traffic safety. The movement began in Sweden and has been implemented in cities around the globe, including in Cincinnati. The Cincinnati Public Schools Board of Education also has adopted Vision Zero.

Cincinnati City Council is expected to vote on the new $1 million proposal within the next few weeks. If approved, the DOTE will move forward with planning speed cushions for the additional 20 locations, bringing the total number of neighborhoods with safety improvements to 30. The locations of the additional speed cushions have not yet been announced.