Executive Summary
Why the Controller’s Office Conducted the Review
Over the past several years, the City of Philadelphia has passed legislation, amended its code and dedicated resources to install traffic calming infrastructure throughout the city. This infrastructure is designed to reduce travel speeds, creating a safer environment for pedestrians, drivers, and cyclists. Specifically, Council passed Ordinance 230103 in 2023, amending section §11-708 of the Philadelphia Code, to add traffic calming infrastructure around schools such as speed cushions. Speed cushions need to follow defined dimensions to allow traffic to move at or just below posted speeds. If they do not meet these dimensions, the grade could be too steep, which disrupts traffic flow, causes damage to motorists’ vehicles, impacts driver safety, or impedes the operation of emergency vehicles.
What the Controller’s Office Reviewed
The Controller’s Office reviewed the contracts and blueprints for the installation of speed cushions throughout the city. The Controller’s Engineering Unit received from the Streets Department a list of schools where traffic calming measures were installed and selected a sample to physically inspect speed cushion dimensions. By obtaining the height of the speed cushion and the length of the ramp, the engineers were able calculate the grade (or slope) of the speed cushions to determine whether the installations comply with the blueprint design and state and federal government standards.
What the Controller’s Office Found
Contract blueprints conformed to dimensions recommended by government guidelines, however, of the 140 speed cushions tested we found:
- Only two had both height and length measurements that were within the ranges specified in the blueprints.
- One-hundred and thirty-three (or 95 percent) of the speed cushions tested had grades (or slopes) exceeding the 10 percent specified in the blueprints and recommended by government guidelines resulting in speed cushions steeper than expected in a 10-20 mph school zone.
- Twenty-six of the 133 speed cushions had grades (or slopes) equal to or greater than twice the recommended grade.
- A review of Philly311 data recorded several concerns made by residents across the city about the safety of the speed cushions.
- The average cost for installing Speed cushions and other traffic calming infrastructure is estimated at $51,000 per school, totaling $2.2 million for the projects reviewed.
What the Controller’s Office Recommends
We recommend the speed cushions be made compliant to match the blueprints in the contract and if not, the city should seek restitution. To prevent further instances of noncompliance with government standards and blueprint designs, we recommend that Streets Department management provide closer supervision over the future installation of city speed cushions.
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