Auto Safety
We are all familiar with speed bumps. They’re scattered everywhere – on streets, parking lots, malls, and other places to slow down cars, especially in high-pedestrian roads. By forcing car drivers to slow down, these speed breakers significantly reduce the occurrence of minor fender benders and dangerous road collisions. Generally made from concrete – asphalt, cement, and the like, these are excellent traffic control solutions for big neighborhoods with a lot of population of children, the elderly, and pets. But, not all communities have them. Thus, you ask how much do speed bumps cost? Read on to find out.
The Pros
Before we discuss how much do speed bumps cost, allow us to share some of its pros and cons.
- Notable Accident Reduction
By requiring drivers to slow down, these speed breakers significantly reduce road mishaps and collisions. More important than that, they’re quite efficient at reducing automobile accidents that involve pedestrians. They’re a great solution for traffic control, especially to neighborhoods with lots of children, older people, and pets. They even save lives on a daily basis. - Efficiency of Customization
For speed bumps to have the best results, their size and design must be suited to specific road conditions. While metal and rubber speed bums come in various shapes and sizes, they are not as resilient as asphalt. - Great Return on Investment
Generally, speed bumps offer excellent value for neighborhood associations searching to effectively lower traffic speeds. While these speed breakers aren’t cheap and cost more to install, they’re more sturdy and resistant to damage than metal or rubber models. Furthermore, repairing these bumps’ wear and tear over the years would not cost a lot of money. To get a better understanding if its worth the money, we need to know how much do speed bumps cost. - Positive Public Reception
Average citizens usually understand the meaning of curtailing speeding on roads where it’s not proper. Although safety-conscious homeowners won’t typically mind them, asphalt speed bumps that have adequate height and are not placed too close with each other believably won’t provoke repercussions.
The Cons
- Amplified Noise and Vibration
One of the significant drawbacks of speed bumps is that they often increase audible road noise. Cars passing over speed bumps are louder than those driving down a level surface at a steady speed. Also, cars and other vehicles produce louder sounds when they hit on the brakes before running over speed bumps and then accelerate instantly afterward. - Delayed Emergency Response Time
Emergency personnel like EMTs, firefighters, and other rescue personnel that drive large vehicles aren’t huge fans of speed bumps. In a life or death or emergency, a 30-second delay to reach a person in distress can be fatal. - Possible Damage to Certain Vehicles
Another drawback of speed bumps is the harm or damage they can cause to cars or vehicles with relatively low ground clearances. If you attempt to drive a sports car with low clearance over an asphalt bump at high speed, your front bumper might crack, or your oil pan may seriously be damaged. - Disorder in Traffic Patterns
Speed bumps can cause unintended consequences. If you place speed bumps on one street, chances are, drivers that drive too fast will modify their routes to avoid them. Simply put, you may only be moving the problem around. Experienced transportation consultants can help neighborhood organizations and cities formulate speed bump plans that won’t actually disrupt traffic flow.
The Cost
Now that we’ve known the pros and cons, let’s proceed to the actual question of how much do speed bumps cost?
According to a cost breakdown in one of the cities in Arizona, on a residential street where the speed limit is 25 MPH, a speed bump can cost between $500 to $2000 each. This depends on the road and drainage condition and the materials used.
Meanwhile, a speed hump on the same street and same speed limit can cost $3,500 each.
Lastly, speed cushions on minor collector streets with below 30 MPH speed limit can cost around $5,000 each.
Conclusion
Speed bumps do not only reduce the risk of road accidents on residential streets and parking lots, but they also improve pedestrian safety at the same time. These speed breakers make drivers slow down on their driving, especially when they are in a highly-populated neighborhood. However, not all communities have speed bumps within their neighborhood, which often result in road mishaps and collisions. Thus, residents ask how much do speed bumps cost? And the answers are quite expensive than we thought. Find out more about Speed Bumps.