FAQ's

Will Greene County install "Children at Play" signs on my street?

As a policy, Greene County will not install "Children at Play" signs for the following reasons:

  • There is no evidence that the sign is effective in changing the driver's behavior to slow down or be more alert to the presence of children.
  • The sign is not recognized as an official traffic control sign by the national, state, or local standards.
  • The sign can promote a false sense of security to both children and parents.
  • Every neighborhood has children, so an absence of the sign would incorrectly imply that children do not live in the area.

 

Can the posted speed limit on our street be reduced to slow down the speeding drivers?

It is a common myth that posting slower speed limit signs force drivers to slow down and will result in fewer traffic accidents. National research has shown that the prevailing traffic conditions and the type of street, not the posted speed limit, influence drivers.
 
Speed studies are conducted to help set speed limits. If an unreasonably low speed limit is posted, many drivers tend to ignore and violate the signs. There are some drivers who, on the other hand, always try to stay within the posted speed limit. This can cause conflict between faster and slower drivers, resulting in more accidents.
 
Traffic engineering studies help to determine the prevailing speed of most drivers using a certain street. Additionally, the studies take into account accident records and road conditions. An appropriate speed limit is then set based upon this data.

 

What is the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD)?

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) publishes the MUTCD, which contains all national design, application, and placement standards for traffic control devices. The purpose of these devices, which includes signs, signals, and pavement markings, is to promote highway safety, efficiency, and uniformity so that traffic can move efficiently on the Nation's streets and highways. For more information on the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).

 

Will Greene County install a stop sign at an intersection to slow drivers down?

Under the right conditions, STOP signs can play an important role in traffic safety. However, STOP signs installed in the wrong place usually create more problems than they solve. Many requests are received for STOP signs to interrupt traffic or slow traffic down. However, studies across the nation show that there are a high number of intentional violations when STOP signs are installed as nuisances or speed breakers.
 
 STOP signs are installed at an intersection only after a careful engineering evaluation of the existing conditions indicates that their installation is appropriate. Four-way STOPS are only helpful when traffic volumes are high and close to equal on all approaches to an intersection, or if there are geometric deficiencies creating sight distance problems.


Will Greene County install a speed hump to slow drivers?

Speed humps:

  • Are expensive to install and expensive to maintain.
  • Interfere with response times of emergency vehicles—Each speed hump costs fire trucks ten seconds in response time. 
  • Reduce property values—Prospective homebuyers reject home sites near speed humps. 
  • Increase noise levels—Speed humps usher in a constant barrage of scraping cars and engines revving over the humps. 
  • Increase wear and tear on residential and commercial vehicles—Speed humps are a source of excessive wear on tires, brakes, suspension systems, shock absorbers and rattle dashboards. 
  • Expensive to remove—Municipalities, under pressure by citizens and enforced by the courts, have been forced to remove speed humps at great expense to tax payers. 
  • Increase air pollution—On roads with speed humps, carbon monoxide emissions increase by 82 percent, carbon dioxide emissions double and nitrogen oxide increases by 37 percent.
  • Reduce fuel efficiency and increase gas consumption—By forcing drivers to brake and accelerate repeatedly, speed humps will cause a car that normally that gets 58.15 mpg travelling at a steady 30mph to deliver only 30.85 mpg. 
  • Increased Noise and Vibration-One of the few major drawbacks of speed bumps of any kind is that they often increase perceptible road noise. Vehicles passing over speed bumps are simply louder than those that are cruising down a level surface at a consistent speed. Furthermore, cars and trucks produce louder sounds when they brake before hitting speed bumps and accelerate quickly afterward.
  • Potential Damage to Certain Vehicles- Another big drawback of speed bumps is the damage they can cause to vehicles with fairly shallow ground clearances. 
  • Disruption of Traffic Patterns-As great as speed humps may be perceived, their presence often causes unintended consequences. If you put speed bumps on one street, commuters that drive too fast will alter their routes to avoid them. In other words, you may simply be moving the problem around. 
  • Weather: Speed humps can be hidden under snow, surprising drivers and interrupting snow removal operations.