Slow down, Cowtown.
Fort Worth residents want motorists to take their boot off the pedal while driving through neighborhoods. Their concerns prompted more than 2,100 requests to install traffic calming and safety devices since the city launched its program in 2022.
To date, 79 speed cushions have been installed or are scheduled to be put in place on 29 streets — provided the requests meet city criteria. The city allocates about $230,000 each year for the Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program.
For many residents, “30 miles per hour is too fast,” Chelsea St. Louis, senior capital projects officer for the city’s Transportation and Public Works Department, told City Council members at an Aug. 5 work session.
St. Louis said the program is one of the department’s most in-demand offerings.
While requests for traffic devices remained stable between 2022 and 2023, the program saw an 82% increase in total submissions between 2023 and 2024, according to a city report.
Traffic calming devices are installed on city-owned, two-lane residential streets based on several criteria. Those streets must have a speed limit of 35 miles per hour or less with an annual daily traffic count at fewer than 4,000 vehicles per day.
Requests may be submitted by calling the 311 Fort Worth Contact Center, through MyFW app or by emailing TrafficCalming@fortworthtexas.gov.
Transportation and Public Works staffers collect and review speed data as part of their evaluation process. They coordinate with the Fort Worth Police Department to address speeding and racing on major roads as well as reckless driving through neighborhoods.
St. Louis said department crews monitor traffic on a requested street for 24 hours — usually on Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays to determine vehicle traffic on school days. Streets aren’t frequently monitored for traffic on weekends unless a request specifically addresses a weekend issue, she said.
Traffic calming measures are recommended when data shows the 85th percentile speed is 5 miles per hour or more over the posted speed limit. Such devices are not recommended on arterial roads or streets that accommodate more than 4,000 vehicles per day.
“The same team reviews all of these requests,” St. Louis said.
If a traffic calming device is recommended, an applicant must submit a petition that requires two-thirds support of all property owners or residents on a street block. Since street calming devices can impact on-street parking, the city requires 100% approval from properties adjacent to the proposed location for a traffic device.
Department officials plan to recommend program modifications at a future City Council meeting to bring the initiative in alignment with the city’s strategy to end traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries by taking a systemic-design approach to roads.
Eric E. Garcia is a senior business reporter at the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at eric.garcia@fortworthreport.org.
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