Speed bumps may get swift removal

DUNEDIN - Speed bumps that cost thousands of dollars a piece just went in a north Pinellas neighborhood, and already, they could be ripped out of the road.

City leaders are learning -- the hard way -- that the unintended consequences of traffic control might outweigh its benefits.

When residents of a quiet North Pinlleas community piped up about traffic, the city was quick to respond with an aggressive program to install dozens of new speed bumps. Nine streets got them.

Drivers slowed. Residents cheered.

"The speed humps worked," said Pubic Works Director Doug Hutchens. "They did definitely slow traffic down on those nine streets."

But, Hutchens and other city leaders quickly learned the traffic was flowing onto adjacent streets, where other residents began demanding speed bumps. Today, 25 more streets are asking for them.

"It was a domino effect," Hutchens said.

And then the fire department chimed in with a warning.

"We've got to slow down and barely crawl over them," said Fire Chief Bud Meyer, who warns that the speed humps are delaying emergency response, since heavy fire trucks cannot race over the bumps.

"We have recently done studies here in town on identical streets, one with speed humps and ones without," he said. "It adds 35 seconds to our response time to a street with speed humps."

Meyer said just a few seconds can make the difference between life or death in some 911 calls.

"The longer it takes us to get to it, your survivability goes down. The quicker we can get to it your survivability goes up," he said.

Mayor Dave Eggers said the city has paused its speed bump program.

Hutchens, the public works director, said the city is seeking input from the sheriff's office, which provides law enforcement for the city. Deputies are conducting a study.

"We're going to use that as a gauge," Hutchens said. A solution is expected sometime after the holidays.