The school run is a uniquely unforgiving test of a neighbourhood's road network. Hundreds of vehicles converge on the same street within a matter of minutes, leaving little room to maneuver. Yet traffic-calming measures can deliberately restrict those same routes, forcing parents and teachers alike to battle for curb space; and the result is pure chaos.
Traffic calming is not a miraculous loss of cars. It's instead a displacement process - with vehicles forced to navigate new routes and fight against full-closures, barricades, and more. According to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), research found that speed humps can divert cars onto other streets, undermining their promise of safety with sudden increases in vehicle totals. A Bellevue study showed that, after these measures were installed on a main thoroughfare, smaller alleys experienced a surge in volume, witnessing the average 2,456 cars jump to 2,802 per day. This represents a 14% spike on roads that weren't built to accommodate that amount.
Vancouver's own speed-hump program illustrates how these measures can become part of the broader street network. Speed humps are typically spaced 45–75 metres apart and are installed on approximately 15–20 blocks every year, with schools often targeted as prime locations. This directly impacts the drop-off process, with the excess of passenger vehicles and buses forced onto smaller streets to avoid sudden bottlenecks. Pair that with severe parking restrictions - The City limits loading to five minutes in a school zone and prohibits stopping in designated areas - and the effects of traffic calming will be clearly seen as parents hurry to find an escape. The diversions will be immediate and overwhelming for those traveling the back alleys.
Perhaps an educator can explain the value in that?
Sources
Federal Highway Administration — Traffic Calming ePrimer, Module 4: Effects of Traffic Calming Measures on Motor Vehicle Speed and Volume
Federal Highway Administration — Traffic Calming: State of the Practice
City of Vancouver — Speed Hump Program
City of Vancouver — Neighbourhood Traffic Management Program
