Transverse Speed Bars for Rural Traffic Calming

Small rural communities often lack the expertise and resources necessary to address speeding and the persistent challenge of slowing high-speed through traffic. The entrances to communities are especially problematic given that drivers must transition from a high-speed, often-rural roadway setting to a low-speed community setting. A number of traffic-calming devices were evaluated to determine their effectiveness in reducing speeds along the main road through a small rural community. Five different treatments were selected and installed in six rural Iowa communities. This tech brief highlights use of transverse speed bars