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Drivers Take Notice of New Speed Signs
Some new signs are capturing the attention of Tualatin drivers. The new “driver feedback signs” use radar technology and an LED display to inform drivers of their speed as they approach a pedestrian crossing or congested area.
Tualatin’s first driver feedback signs were installed at school zones in the 2000s. Four more signs are now in place, along Ibach Park and Avery St between Boones Ferry and Martinazzi. Two new signs will be activated this month along Martinazzi Ave between Avery St and Iroquois Dr. Two more will be added later this summer along Tualatin Road near 109th Ave and 115th Ave. The City of Tualatin’s Principal Transportation Engineer, Mike McCarthy, P.E., praises the new signs as “Effective at reducing the speed of most drivers.”
McCarthy says the driver feedback signs are good solutions for:
- School zones
- Pedestrian crossings
- Streets with recent changes in speed limit
- Areas near parks, schools, and neighborhoods where a lot of people walk
- Problem locations where drivers routinely exceed the speed limit
The new signs are particularly effective at grabbing the attention of drivers who aren’t watching their speed, or who don’t realize the effect of their speed on the people around them.
The research is conclusive in proving the feedback signs’ effectiveness. According to the Federal Highway Administration, the signs slow down speeds 80% of the time, with typical speed reductions of 10% to 20%. There is also a significant increase in compliance with the posted speed limit. Another benefit is pedestrian safety. At 20 mph the fatality rate in vehicle/pedestrian collisions is 10%, at 40 mph it is 90%. The slower speeds save lives.
Tualatin Police Chief Bill Steele endorses the effectiveness of the new driver feedback signs: “Many drivers aren’t aware of their speed – and slow down immediately.”
The new speed awareness signs are paid for by Tualatin Moving Forward, a $20 million bond program approved by Tualatin voters in May 2018 for neighborhood traffic safety improvements. The signs are manufactured by Carmanah and cost about $12,000 each including installation, according to the City’s traffic engineer, Mike McCarthy.
Each year, the City of Tualatin solicits suggestions for driver feedback signs and other new neighborhood traffic safety improvements. To suggest a project, go to TualatinMovingForward.com.
