Neighborhoods around Pittsburgh set to receive speed humps this summer after their long debated legal status

We are super excited to share the news that DOMI is putting in the speed humps that we have been advocating for for more than 10 years. The start of our mission began between ’08-’09 as we encouraged the city to install the road safety tools during repaving projects. Yet, during that time, we were told they were illegal.

We ?? speed humps! We're so excited that DOMI is putting them in. Did you know that we have been working on this for more than 10 years? 10 years! Back in `08 or `09 we advocated @CityPGH to start installing speed humps w/ repaving projects. We kept being told they were illegal. https://t.co/E6oqe3Jtnv

— BikePGH (@BikePGH) June 6, 2019

How could a safety tool so commonplace in cities throughout the United States be illegal in Pittsburgh?

Did the City think we were talking about parking lot speed bumps? Did they just not want to do something new? We needed to find out. So, in ’10 we asked then councilman @billpeduto to help us get to the bottom of it. He wrote to @RepDanFrankel inquiring about the legality of speed humps in PA. Frankel wrote that local authorities can put in official traffic calming devices per the PA Traffic Calming Handbook.

The receipts:

Speed humps were clearly outlined in this @PennDOTNews publication as being an official traffic calming device.

Here’s a link to that publication.

Peduto then wrote to the Director of DPW, Rob Kaczorowski asking him to clarify the City’s position (note: DPW was in charge of Pittsburgh’s streets before @PghDOMI was formed). Kaz (what everyone called him) wrote back confirming that speed humps were, in fact, legal (🎤 drop).

With this myth put to rest, in 2013 we then worked with residents of Polish Hill who were concerned with speeding drivers to get the City’s first speed humps

We were excited to say the least. But what we attempted to do and failed at was getting traffic calming tools like speed humps into an official City program so that they would become ubiquitous on our streets.

— BikePGH (@BikePGH) June 6, 2019

This is why we’re thrilled about the work that @PghDOMI is doing.

They are taking things that we have advocated for for years and instituting them, making them more commonplace on our streets, and thus making our streets safer. Thanks @PghDOMI and thanks Mayor @billpeduto!

First speed humps of the season are in bloom on Saline Street in Squirrel Hill South/Greenfield! Contrary to popular Pittsburgh myth, speed humps are not illegal! #DOMI will be installing more this year through our neighborhood traffic calming program. Thanks @PGHDPW for the help pic.twitter.com/teggq5if2D

— Pittsburgh Mobility & Infrastructure (@PghDOMI) May 8, 2019