Representatives from the Seattle Department of Transportation introduced its Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program on Aug. 12 to the Ballard community.

The two-phase plan includes implementing a number of methods to stop speeding within residential neighborhoods before having to install physical traffic calming devices, such as speed bumps.

Luke Korpi and Jane Rebelowski from the city's transportation department hosted the public meeting at the Ballard Public Library.

Korpi said the focus of the program would be on neighborhood concerns and preventing traffic speeds, easing traffic volumes and cut-through traffic.

The program would start by trying to make drivers aware of how fast they are going through neighborhood streets, said Korpi

He explained that many drivers are encouraged to speed on wide open streets with no parking on either side, but are less likely to speed in more narrow streets.

In Phase 1 of the program, the city will be focusing on educating and involving the neighborhoods, conducting traffic studies to understand the problem in a particular neighborhood and developing ideas from additional education and enforcement.

A radar gun will be lent out to residents interested in measuring and reporting the speed of drivers on their street.

Rebelowski said, depending on neighborhood specific concerns, be it speeders, the amount of traffic, or a combination of both, they will advise residents on how long to perform studies and optimum locations.

The information collected, such as speed; license number and type of car, will be sent to the transportation department. Letters will be sent to the speeders.

Korpi said that though drivers may or may not be affected by the letters, the purpose is to make drivers more aware of neighborhood speed limits.

Other Phase 1 tools include installation of Neighborhood Speed Watch signs; yard signs (similar to picket signs to provide driver awareness of particular neighborhoods coming together to reduce speeds); speed watch trailers; Seattle Police Department enforcement requests; parking management and painted intersections.

Painted intersections, such as colorful works of art, are also favorable because they are a low cost, build community and may positively influence drivers by making them aware that the community they drive in cares about their streets, said Korpi

If Phase 1 methods prove to be ineffective at reducing speeds on residential streets, physical traffic calming devices will be installed, as part of Phase 2.

Such devices include traffic circles, speed humps and chicanes.

Though the city receives about 150 requests a year for traffic circles, it is only able to fund about 10 to 15 each year. Traffic circles cost an average of $15,000 each.

According to the city, traffic circles are most effective for improving safety at intersections; can sometimes reduce speed; are aesthetically pleasing but cannot be installed in emergency response and transit routes.

Speed humps are effective but have lots of disadvantages, said Korpi, such as they are not good for steep grades, cannot be installed in emergency and transit routes and increase aggressive driving and road noise.

Each hump can cost between $4,000 to $5,000, he said.

Lastly chicanes, which create S-shaped curves for drivers on streets, are also known to be effective, but also have negative impacts, such as taking up parking spaces, increasing aggressive driving; discouraging to emergency and transit routes.

Program studies will be conducted in a six month to two year process.