Speed humps helping to slow traffic

Road work to cut down on speeders in a Columbia neighborhood wrapped up Monday evening.

Public works crews installed speed humps on Mills Drive, off Chapel Hill, in an effort to make the road safer and cut down on speeding.

ABC 17 News found speed humps are not only effective slowing down drivers, but are also cost effective.

One study done out of Oakland, California, found that speed humps make streets up to 50% safer for children.

“Speed humps are effective, because you have to drive over them. They are unavoidable,” said Lee White, traffic engineer for the city of Columbia.

White said speed humps are one of the best way to slow traffic on residential roads.

Speed humps are different than speed bumps, because the humps are often longer and wider, but do come at a price.

“When our crews do it internally, the typical cost estimate of the speed humps are about $4,000,” said White.

The money for the humps comes out of the city’s traffic safety fund.

White said compared to other options like adding medians and roundabouts, speed humps may be the cheapest.

“I would say it’s the most cost effective,” said White.

Drivers are forced to obey the speed humps, because if they don’t, they could severely damage their car.

“It will bottom out. It bottoms the shock out, which could blow the nitrogen charge or the gas out of the shock itself. It could also cause suspension damage,” said William Ludovicy, with Big O Tires.

On Wednesday Columbia Public Works crews will be out on Derby Ridge Road adding eight speed humps.

That is a road, residents say, has had a lot of speeding issues.