Traffic down to previous levels; some have been stolen

Speed bumps in the Planterra Ridge subdivision will stay, for now, as more data is sought to determine if they should stay ... or be replaced with the less-intrusive speed cushions.

Thursday night, the Peachtree City Council tabled a staff recommendation to make the change, which would cost the city $18,000 and the Planterra Homeowners Association a similar amount. Instead, city staff will cull data on the speed of traffic through the areas to help determine if the speed bumps or cushions are necessary at all.

“Our big thing is not just traffic counts, but speed,” said Planterra HOA President Manny Guerrero. “... after 90 days if you remove the speed bumps people will get the word and they’re going to start coming back through.”

Several of the speed bumps have been stolen since they were first installed, and the city has replaced more than a few, noted City Councilman Steve Boone, who lives in Planterra.

“The speed bumps were a temporary situation, and apparently they weren’t temporary enough at the rate that they’re being removed,” said councilwoman Judi-ann Rutherford, who said she particularly wanted to see vehicle speed data from the straightaway area of Planterra Way.

City Stormwater Engineer Mark Caspar said the homeowners association was concerned about pulling up all the speed bumps because the widening of Ga. Highway 74 would create a reason for Planterra to again become a shortcut.

The speed cushions can be delivered for installation within two weeks, Caspar said. The speed cushions raise vehicles three inches off the ground; they are seven feet long but gently slope up to and away from the maximum height.

Boone said the number of speed cushions could be reduced from the current number of nine speed bump locations.

“One of the things that we wanted to do was to train the people who don’t live in Planterra to stop going through Planterra,” Guerrero said. “I think we’ve accomplished that goal.”

He added that the HOA is opposed to removing the speed bumps entirely without replacing them with the speed cushions.

The speed cushions would help fire trucks and police vehicles speed up their response to emergencies in the area compared to the current speed bumps. They would not help ambulances, however, particularly when they have a patient in the back, as they will have to come to almost a complete stop before going across each speed cushion, according to city acting Fire Chief Ed Eiswerth.

The speed bumps in Planterra were installed in June 2006 after residents complained of the speeds and erratic driving of vehicles using the subdivision as a cut-through to avoid construction traffic on Ga. Highway 54 West and as a shortcut to the nearby Wal-Mart and Home Depot.

Traffic studies after the highway widening opened in July 2006, one in September and the other in January, have showed the traffic flow has reduced to levels similar to the numbers seen before the Wal-Mart and Home Depot opened, Caspar said. Council also previously agreed to lower the speed limit in the subdivision to 25 mph.

Council is expected to make a decision on the matter at its June 21 meeting.

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