Traffic Calming

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Traffic Calming Projects

Cary has partnered with PublicInput.com to provide a central hub to keep our citizens informed about active and potential Traffic Calming Projects. If you are interested in learning more about a specific project or have feedback on a project that impacts you, please follow the link below to leave the Cary website and continue to PublicInput.com.

Cary Traffic Calming Program - Project Engagement Hub

All traffic calming surveys will be conducted through the Project Engagement Hub. If you have been notified of a survey in your neighborhood and would like to contribute, please follow the link above and navigate to your respective project page.

What is Traffic Calming?

In the simplest terms, traffic calming endeavors to enhance the livability of our neighborhood streets by reducing vehicle speeds and/or volumes through the use of devices that have demonstrated an ability to produce desired results. Such devices commonly include those that induce a vertical or horizontal deflection into the vehicle path and strategic changes to pavement markings that impact the drivers perception of speed relative to the environment.

The concept of traffic calming aligns with Cary's values as outlined in the MOVE Chapter of the Cary Community Plan and therefore, our Council has supported traffic calming through the adoption of Policy Statement 124 - Traffic Calming Program.

The Specifics of Traffic Calming

Cary staff collaborates with community representatives to make informed decisions on traffic calming using current data and documented research. Our tools include the wealth of information that has been written, reviewed and aggregated by transportation professionals on the subject of traffic calming. One of the most comprehensive references was a joint effort of the US Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), the Traffic Calming ePrimer.

The ePrimer includes discussions on:

The basics of traffic calming
Types of traffic calming devices and how they each affect traffic speed and volume
Previous case studies that inform our decisions on traffic calming

The ITE also provides a fact sheet for each of several common traffic calming devices on their website.

Traffic Calming vs. Traffic Control

Traffic calming is a device or group of devices that is meant to achieve a desired result by becoming a self-enforcing, perceptible part of the road geometry. The use of traffic calming measures is guided largely by collective traffic engineering experience, documentation and best practices, balanced against local, state and federal regulations governing public transportation facilities.

Traffic control is a system of signs, signals and pavement markings that is intended to regulate, warn or guide facilities open to public travel. The selection and placement of traffic control devices is standardized by the FHWA in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). Use of these devices is subject (and/or restricted) to the conditions noted in the MUTCD.

Examples of the differences between calming and control include the following:

What is Cary's Process for Traffic Calming?

Cary staff are guided by Standard Procedure 111, which governs our Traffic Calming Program, to follow a process that:

Encourages citizen engagement
Uses data to inform decisions
Prioritizes highest need

As shown in the info-graphic above, the process includes six (6) phases, each with varying duration and detail. Cary aligns with ITE's statement that "In many cases, a successful neighborhood traffic calming program is dependent more on public participation and consensus building than on the specific technique used." Accordingly, our process puts substantial emphasis on community involvement and leadership; Cary staff serve to support and guide the process.

Traffic calming projects vary in complexity, but Cary recommends that citizens anticipate an 18 - 24 month duration from start to finish. More details on the process can be found in Standard Procedure 111.

How Do I Request Traffic Calming?

In neighborhoods where conditions may benefit from traffic calming, Cary encourages citizens to initiate a review by our traffic engineering staff using the application form linked below. If the neighborhood is governed by an HOA or similar body, Cary recommends that applicants engage HOA representation to assist with the application and manage communication efficiently. Applicants in neighborhoods not governed by an HOA should be prepared to organize a small contingent of supporters to work together on community outreach under Cary staff's guidance.

Please familiarize yourself with Cary's Adaptive Traffic Calming Program procedure prior to submitting an application.

Traffic Calming Application