Speed Hump Installation Update for Outpost Estates

Speed humps are visible from the “HUMPS” marking on the road that are approximately 200 feet away.

Speed humps are designed to reduce vehicular speed on residential local or collector streets that have a single travel lane in each direction.

Thank you to all of the Outpost Neighborhood Association stakeholders that took the time to apply for the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) residential speed hump program on October 6, 2022. Only 375 applications were accepted for all of Los Angeles (only 25 per Los Angeles City Council District) and the following three blocks were accepted in ‘Step 1’ and ‘Step 2’ for LADOT to conduct an engineering study to determine the feasibility of installing speed humps at these locations in Outpost Estates (the streets with the least slope/grades):

1. Outpost Drive: Between Franklin Avenue and La Presa Drive

2. Outpost Drive: Between La Presa Drive and Chelan Drive

3. El Cerrito Place: Between Hillside Avenue and Outpost Drive

Outpost Neighborhood Association collected 10 signatures from residents on each block (or 50% of the residents if the block has less than 20 homes), to request LADOT to conduct a feasibility study to determine if and where speed humps on the three blocks above could be installed. LADOT has completed it’s feasibility study and here are the results:

1. Outpost Drive: Between Franklin Avenue and La Presa Drive: FEASIBLE because the grade is low and there are speeds and volumes to justify speed humps.

   Outpost Drive: Between La Presa Drive and Chelan Drive: NOT FEASIBLE because the grade is too steep to install speed humps on this stretch of the street.

2. El Cerrito Place: Between Hillside Avenue and Outpost Drive: NOT FEASIBLE because speeds & volumes on this street are too low to justify a speed hump

There is an opportunity for speed humps to be installed on Outpost Drive between Franklin Avenue and La Presa Drive. In order to do so, signatures of support for the speed hump installation need to be obtained from at least two-thirds (66.7%) of the affected residences on the street segment. Once that is completed, it’s on to ‘Step 4’ which is the installation of the speed humps.

Read more about speed humps here. Read more about the qualifications for where LADOT will and will not install speed humps here. 

Frequently Asked Questions about Speed Humps:

• Q: What are speed humps?

  A: Speed humps are rounded raised areas of asphalt constructed across the roadway width. The speed hump extends a distance of 12 feet (or 22 feet for speed tables depending on the roadway grade or traffic conditions). The height at the highest point is 2 5/8 inches plus or minus 1/4 inch. 

• Q: What is the purpose of a speed hump?

  A: Speed humps are designed to reduce vehicular speed on residential local or collector streets that have a single travel lane in each direction. Note: if there is any commercial frontage (e.g. stores or offices), then speed humps cannot be installed in that area. 

• Q: What are the advantages to speed humps?

  A:

  • Speed humps are an effective tool in reducing speeds.

  • Most drivers will slow down to avoid jarring their vehicle.

  • Installation does not require the removal of parking spaces.:

• Q: What are the disadvantages to speed humps?

  A:

  • May create noise when vehicles travel over speed humps.

  • Residents living on the block will be the ones driving over the speed humps most frequently.

  • Installation may require placement of the speed hump and/or warning signs in front of someone’s home.

• Q: What criteria is used by LADOT in evaluating speed hump locations?

  A:

  1. Speed humps can only be installed on streets with speed limits of 30 mph or less and the 85th percentile speed is more than 5 mph above the speed limit.

  2. The daily volume on the street should be greater than 900 vehicles per day (VPD), but typically not more than 10,000 VPD.

  3. There should be a minimum of 600 feet between controlled intersections, where at least 2 speed humps can be installed.

  4. There should be a maximum of 1300 feet for the initial petition request.

  5. Humps should not be installed on streets where there are known drainage/flooding issues.

  6. Humps should not be installed on horizontal curves where visibility is less than ~150 feet.

  7. Speed humps cannot be placed on streets that have a grade greater than 8%.

• Q: What is involved in the application and approval process?

  A:

  • Step 1. Online Application – A Block Representative for the street should go online here to apply for speed humps on their street segment. 

  • Step 2. Study Request – Once the Online application has been reviewed, LADOT will provide the Block Representative with a “Step 2” Request for Study Form to all applications that meet the minimum criteria for speed hump installation. The Block Representative will submit the form with 10 signatures from residents on the street segment or signatures representing at least 50% of all addresses on the street segment, whichever is less. This is to ensure general support on the street segment before LADOT will conduct a study. After the “Step 2” form is received, LADOT will conduct a study to determine whether speed humps are feasible and justified based on technical criteria.

  • Step 3. Survey of Residents – LADOT will provide the Block Representative with a “Step 3” Survey of Residents Form if your street segment is found to be feasible and construction funding is available. The Block Representative is required to obtain signatures of support for the speed hump installation from at least two-thirds (66.7%) of the affected residences on the street segment to proceed.

  • Step 4. Approval & Construction – LADOT deems a request approved for speed humps if it has met these criteria and will prioritize approved locations for construction. Speed humps, warning signs, and pavement markings are placed in accordance with requirements and determined by engineering judgement.