AKRON, Ohio — Speed tables designed to slow down drivers are being installed in all 10 Akron wards, the city said in a release. Signs are also being installed on those streets to alert drivers.
As a pilot, the city installed speed tables in two Akron neighborhoods more than a year ago to determine whether they work. The result was a 23% reduction in speeders, the city said. The city also conducted surveys that showed residents approve of the devices.
Unlike speed bumps, speed tables are rectangular with flat tops and tapered ends, the city said. Made of rubberized, interlocking pieces, speed tables are affixed to the roads at the mid-block point. They will be removed from streets before winter.
Currently, 28 speed tables are being installed on 14 streets:
- Ward 1 — Crosby Street and Maple Street
- Ward 2 — Gorge Boulevard
- Ward 3 — West Miller Avenue and Diagonal Road
- Ward 4 — Storer Avenue and Wildwood Avenue
- Ward 5 — Inman Street
- Ward 6 — Wedgewood Drive
- Ward 7 — North Firestone Boulevard
- Ward 8 — Garman Road and Castle Boulevard
- Ward 9 — Florida Avenue
- Ward 10 — Adelaide Boulevard
The pandemic pushed back delivery of the tables, which were intended for installation last year, said Mayor Dan Horrigan.
“Speeding in residential areas is one of the most common concerns we hear from Akron residents, and with the successful testing of the speed tables in several neighborhoods, we can now implement the program throughout all of Akron’s wards,” Horrigan said.
Each speed table takes about a day to install and the city estimates all 28 will be in place within two to three months. Residents who live on the selected streets will be alerted to the exact location of the tables, the city said.
Residents can suggest locations for speed-table installation on the Akron Metropolitan Area Transportation Study website. AMATS also offers an online survey for feedback on the speed tables.