Traffic calming

Bumps, humps, and cushions

• Federal highway adminstration: Effects of Traffic Calming Measures on Non-Personal Passenger Vehicles

Damage to fire vehicles is another concern of fire departments. Opinions by some critics in the 1990s and early 2000s were that traffic calming measures caused damage to fire vehicles. ii For example, the stress of traveling over speed humps could lead to increased repairs and shorter vehicle life. However, the early studies found no data to substantiate the claims. iii In addition, isolating the exact cause of wear and tear on a vehicle can be difficult, whether it was caused by the relatively infrequent crossing of speed humps or the crossing of other frequent undulations in a roadway network, such as potholes, manhole covers, drainage dips, etc. … A speed cushion (also known as speed lump or speed pillow) has cushions placed longitudinally in the roadway specifically to match the wheel tracks of fire vehicles (see Figure 5.1) and provide a link to section 3.11 – Speed Cushion. Field tests have shown speed cushions to reduce general vehicle speeds while providing little to no delay to fire vehicles. vi …

• Q+A: Bumps, Humps, Cushions, Tables — What’s the Best Way to Slow Down Traffic?

The gap between humps/tables is specifically designed to enable a vehicle (usually emergency vehicles and buses) to pass through without being much affected.