Slow down: Speed humps could be installed in Terrebonne Parish by 2021

Some residential areas in Terrebonne Parish might have new devices to slow down speeders by the end of 2021. 

Last night during the Public Services Committee meeting, Terrebonne Parish Council members unanimously approved moving forward with adding speed humps on Parish roads by revising the ordinances pertaining to motor vehicles and traffic and calling a public hearing on the matter on September 23. 

“This has been something that the Council has been asking for for a long time,” said Christopher Pulaski, Director of Planning and Zoning. “We’ve talked about allowing for speed humps, but no developers elected to put it in their subdivision. There’s no requirement for it.” 

With an estimated cost of $2,500 for each speed hump, the proposed 2021 budget for the Public Works Department will include $113,000 to allow for each district to have five speed humps, Pulaski explained. 

“We just felt that five per council district per year just seemed like a good starting point,” he said. “Like I mentioned to the council members last night, if they want to trade out and swap and say, ‘okay, well I only needed two this year, so you can have my other three, but I get three of yours next year,’ or whatever deal they strike between themselves — that’s fine.” 

“If maybe we decide that five per district isn’t enough, or maybe some districts that have more development may need more than some of the other districts,” he continued, “that’s easy to adjust. That’s not necessarily part of the ordinance for a reason because maybe they do want to change it.” 

Pulaski noted that the traffic calming devices would be paid for through the general funds and won’t be at any extra costs for residents. 

According to “Exhibit A,” which details regulations for the speed humps of the proposed ordinance, to request a speed hump, residents must follow the following procedure:

• Complete application submittal to Parish Department of Planning and Zoning Director or their designee.

• Planning and Zoning Staff will forward a copy of the application to the Director of the Department of Public Works or their designee. Both Departments will review for basic compliance and acceptance. Once the application has been accepted, Planning and Zoning Staff will provide the applicant with a list of physical addresses of properties that are included in the impact area.

• Applicant will then collect signatures of support/no objection by at least 2/3 majority of the households in the impact area (no more than 1 owner or tenant per household).

• The Parish will conduct a traffic speed study or request that one be performed by the local MPO to provide the require data to determine if the criteria is sufficient to warrant placement.

• If all criteria are met, Staff shall place on Council committee agenda to introduce ordinance for speed hump installation and call for a public hearing. Upon completion of the public hearing and if approved by Council, the Parish Department of Public Works shall install the speed hump(s).

“Hopefully, we reduce the potential of having speed humps installed and once they are installed, there’s a bigger outcry to have them removed,” said Pulaski, who added that in the past that situation has happened with stop signs. 

The document goes on to state that a speed hump can be removed with a petition from at least 2/3 majority of residents or if it causes unforeseen negative consequences. However, the request from residents can’t be made within the first year that it was installed, Pulaski noted. 

If the Council approves adopting the ordinances after the public hearing, Pulaski said, some areas might see the traffic devices installed as early as the first quarter of next year.

Decades ago, Pulaski recalled, speed bumps were placed on Terrebonne Parish roads, but most of them have been removed. 

Over the years, many municipalities and subdivisions have opted for speed humps as opposed to speed bumps, Pulaski said. “[A speed bump] is such a jarring ordeal that in some instances causes people to go off the road. They lose control of the vehicle if they’re not paying attention to what they’re doing,” he continued, before adding that speed bumps can also cause vehicle damage and people grow tired of them. 

Pulaski said that he, Public Works Director David Rome and Assistant Director of Planning and Zoning Tara Lambeth researched speed hump regulations and procedures, which they found good examples of from Lafayette. 

With a limited number of police officers on the roads at any given time, who also have to deal with more urgent matters, Pulaski said, there need to be more ways to slow down people in residential neighborhoods. 

“[Police officers] can’t just sit there and write tickets all day long. Plus, who wants to get a ticket?” he said. “If we can find other ways from a design solution or traffic calming devices, like speed humps — so much the better.” 

Photo courtesy of social media.