Speed cushions coming to more Cincinnati neighborhoods after officials see decrease in speeding

CINCINNATI — The city of Cincinnati plans to expand its speed cushion program after a “dramatic” decrease in speeding on Winneste Avenue.

The city installed speed cushions on Winneste Avenue as part of a pilot program in September. The traffic calming measure, which is similar to a speed bump but with cutouts to allow emergency vehicles to pass, was in place through December.

According to data gathered by the Department of Transportation and Engineering, only 11% of drivers exceeded the 25 mph speed limit while the speed cushions were in place. That’s compared to 95% of drivers speeding prior to the installation.

“DOTE is optimistic that similar reductions in speed will be seen when the program is expanded to other streets,” DOTE director John Brazina wrote in an FYI memo to city council.

In the memo, Brazina said the program will be expanded to 10 street segments in various neighborhoods throughout Cincinnati, including:

1. Reading between Hickman and Shuttlesworth in Avondale
2. Warsaw between Grand and McPherson in East Price Hill
3. Burnet between University and Kasota in Corryville/Avondale
4. Harrison between McHenry and Lafeuille in Westwood
5. Reading between Seymour and Shenandoah in Roselawn
6. Linn between Oliver and Clark in the West End
7. Winneste between Craft and WinMed Health in Winton Hills
8. Montgomery between Blair and Dana in Evanston
9. Glenway between Gilsey and Schiff in West Price Hill
10. Reading between Dorchester and Kinsey in Mt. Auburn/Walnut Hills

DOTE will install between two and five cushions across the street.

“Oh most definitely (the city should expand the program). They need to be out through other neighborhoods not just ours here,” said Ariana Sedor, president of the Winton Hills Community Council.

Sedor said the pilot program did make a difference in Winton Hills.

“We were pressing the issues for a long time," Sedor said. "It was a really good step towards progress for the neighborhood to make it a little bit safer."

However, she said there are some changes she’d recommend to the city.

“The only thing as a council that we hope to see is that they push them further up into the neighborhood rather than just stopping here at the recreation center. When they only come up the street to a certain point, it doesn’t do anything for the rest of the neighborhood,” she said.

Oranett Kidd, who lives in Avondale, said she supports the idea of speed cushions along Reading Road.

“(People) drive like they’re on the Autobahn and they’re not,” she said. “It would help, it don’t have to be real close. Space them out. Just to give the driver enough time to slow down and gather themselves, and remind them where they are. That’s what they’re for.”

The city plans to begin the installation of speed cushions this summer.

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