Evaluation of low cost traffic calming for rural communities : phase II.

Hallmark, Shauna; Knickerbocker, Skylar; Hawkins, Neal · 2013 · ROSA P / Iowa. Dept. of Transportation

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Summary

This report evaluates low-cost traffic calming countermeasures designed to reduce vehicle speeds as drivers transition from high-speed rural roadways into small communities. The research addresses a critical safety gap: small rural communities often lack the resources and expertise to manage speeding, and standard urban traffic calming techniques are not necessarily effective or safe on higher-speed rural highways. The study aims to identify practical, effective treatments for these transition zones and develop a decision-making toolbox for local agencies. The Phase II study, conducted by Iowa State University researchers, involved installing five specific treatments at six rural Iowa communities with populations under 5,000 and demonstrated speeding problems. The selected countermeasures were transverse speed bars, colored entrance treatments, temporary islands (using mountable curbing), radar-activated LED speed limit signs, and dynamic speed feedback signs. Sites were chosen based on specific criteria, including paved roadways, speed limits of 45 mph or less within the community, and annual average daily traffic volumes exceeding 500 vehicles. Data collection involved spot speed studies to measure mean and 85th percentile speeds before and after treatment installation. The treatments were selected based on prior Phase I findings and successful applications in other countries, with modifications made to enhance visual impact and safety, such as using mountable curbing instead of fragile channelizers for temporary islands. The report details the implementation and preliminary results for each treatment across the selected sites, including Hazleton, Jesup, Ossian, Quasqueton, St. Charles, and Rowley. For instance, transverse bars were installed in Hazleton and Quasqueton, while colored entrance treatments were applied in Jesup and Ossian. St. Charles received temporary islands and radar-activated signs, and Rowley was equipped with speed feedback and radar-activated signs. The study notes that previous iterations of some treatments, such as standard speed reduction markings, showed only moderate effectiveness, prompting the use of more visually distinct designs like "dragon’s teeth" markings and colored boxes in this phase. The report provides specific speed reduction data for each site, though it acknowledges that the study period for some treatments was limited, preventing long-term analysis for all configurations. The significance of this work lies in its provision of empirical data and practical guidance for rural traffic management. By evaluating these low-cost interventions, the study helps small communities select appropriate countermeasures that balance safety improvements with resource constraints. The research culminates in the development of an application toolbox that summarizes the advantages, disadvantages, costs, and effectiveness of various treatments, enabling agencies to make informed decisions about designing transition zones. This contributes to the broader field of transportation safety by expanding the toolkit for rural traffic calming, an area previously under-researched compared to urban environments.

Key finding

Colored entrance treatments and transverse speed bars significantly reduced mean and 85th percentile speeds at rural community entrances.

Methodology

field_study

Sample size: 6

Provenance

The full processing record for this entry. Every stage of this paper's journey through the pipeline is logged — what ran, with which tool and model, how many attempts it took, and when it last completed. Discovered via bulk_ingest_rosap on 2026-05-23 (6 acquisition events logged).

Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified_with_issues.

Topics

Ranked by relevance to this paper. Hover a topic for its definition.

• speed management
• perceptual countermeasures
• signage environment