Fresno city leaders to look into possibility of installing speed humps

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- This week, Fresno City leaders will look into the possibility of installing new speed humps after a more than a decade-long ban.

Councilmember Miguel Arias is introducing a pilot program that he says will help deter speeding and increase pedestrian safety in some neighborhoods through the use of new traffic control options.

"What I forgot to ask and what I realized when I moved in was that the street was actually a qualifying track for the Daytona 500," said homeowner Jeff Eisinger.

Neighbors say their relatively quiet neighborhood feels like a racetrack most days with dangerous drivers speeding up and down their street.

"The peace of mind that people should be able to have, be able to relax in their house and you really can't do it when people are going up and down on the street constantly at the speeds that we've had here," said Eisinger.

Councilmember Miguel Arias agrees. That's why he's sponsoring the Pedestrian Safety Pilot program to install speed humps, a more cost-effective alternative to speed bumps in the most needed parts of the city.

"Our office would pay for the installation of the speed humps. We'll study them for 60 days. If they're embraced by the neighborhood, then we'll establish a citywide process to utilize the same strategies," said Arias.

But before that can happen, the city must first overturn a 15-year ban on the installation of any new speed bumps.

"On Thursday, we will be requesting the City Council approve our pilot program," said Arias.

According to Arias, the speed humps would be drilled into the pavement and be designed to allow fire trucks and other first responders to pass without experiencing any bump in the event of an emergency.

"Your traditional speed bumps that go across the whole street do slow emergency vehicles. These speed humps go right under the axle of emergency vehicles. Our emergency vehicles are much higher."

Fresno Police Chief Paco Balderrama also supports the program, which is expected to receive enough votes for approval Thursday.