CITY OF OAK RIDGE

NEIGHBORHOOD SPEED WATCH PROGRAM

A Public Awareness Program

Speeding on residential streets is one of the most frequent traffic complaints made to the City. The Neighbor Speed Watch Program can help address this issue. Neighborhood Speed Watch is a public awareness and education program that allows concerned citizens to actively participate in encouraging slower speeds in their neighborhood. The goal is to educate motorists about speeds on residential streets.

Speed limits are established with the safety of both residents and motorists in mind. The Neighborhood Speed Watch Program is intended to help drivers become aware of the neighborhood’s concern for speeding problems and encourage safe and prudent driving on neighborhood streets. Most people speeding in a neighborhood usually live in that neighborhood.

How the Program Works

The Public Works Department, Engineering Division conducts a speed study to evaluate traffic conditions in a neighborhood upon receiving a concern through the City Neighborhood Traffic Management Program. The results of the study help determine whether a Neighborhood Speed Watch Program is appropriate for the neighborhood. The program will be limited to those streets that have an 85^th percentile speed that is five (5) mph greater than the posted speed limit.

Once a neighborhood qualifies, the neighborhood association or Neighborhood Traffic Advisory Committee distributes a flyer throughout the neighborhood to explain the program and to ask residents for their cooperation in making it a success.

Groups of at least three resident volunteers are formed and briefed on the proper use of the radar equipment. The Police Department furnishes both the training and temporary equipment for this program as staff time permits.

Working together, neighborhood volunteers collect data on days and times when speeding is the worst. This process is continued according to set schedules. When data collection is complete, all equipment and data are submitted to the City.

The City reviews the data and sends a letter to the registered owners of vehicles that were traveling at excessive speeds. The letter identifies the observed violation and encourages motorists to drive at or below the posted speed limit when traveling on neighborhood streets.

Because this program is an awareness program the long-term effects may not be very pronounced. Notices sent to the registered owners do not constitute a notice of violation, do not go on driving records, and do not impose a fine or other penalty. All information collected in this program is kept confidential.