Are you tired of seeing cars fly down your residential street well above the posted speed limits? Well if you live in some cities, you can request "traffic calming" devices like speed bumps for your neighborhood.

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GR Transportation/Facebook
GR Transportation/Facebook
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Is it legal to install my own speed bump in Michigan?

No, you can't simply place your own speed bump on public roads in Michigan. In fact, anything placed in the roadway can become the property of the local municipality that maintains those roads.

In 2020 parents in a Detroit neighborhood decided to pool their money and have speed bumps professionally installed. In just days the speed humps were removed and taken as city property.

City Of Detroit/Facebook
City Of Detroit/Facebook
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How do I get a speed bump installed in Michigan?

Larger cities in the state have online request forms you can fill out to request a "traffic calming" device or speed hump in your neighborhood or ask for additional traffic enforcement.

Traffic Calming Devices/City Of Kalamazoo/Facebook
Traffic Calming Devices/City Of Kalamazoo/Facebook
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What alternatives are available for Speed Bumps in Michigan?

Although many cities are considering speed hump requests on a case-by-case basis, many are using other methods to help make streets safer.

The city of Grand Rapids notes that it's using the following methods for safer streets:

  • Pavement markings
  • Speed humps
  • Bulb-outs
  • Traffic circles
City Of Lansing/Facebook
City Of Lansing/Facebook
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In fact, some cities are moving away from speed humps as the effectiveness of the devices is in question. According to the State of Michigan, the bumps might not be way to go in calming traffic:

Going over some bumps at higher speeds can actually make the ride smoother. This, of course, defeats the purpose. Traveling over speed bumps at any speed can cause major mechanical or maintenance problems to any vehicle, especially school buses and delivery trucks. Bumps can also increase response time for fire, police and ambulances, cause accidents for bicyclists and motorcyclists, and be an attractive hazard for skate boarders.

So yes, you can request a Speed Hump in many parts of Michigan, but that might not always be your best option.

Can you take a moment to help find these missing Michigan kids?

Nearly 25 children have gone missing in Michigan this year. Take a look at these children to see if they look familiar, so we can get them back home with their families.

 

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