One of Richmond’s enduring mysteries is how to get speed bumps installed on your street.

This was resolved by the long-lost Resolution 62-96 of 1996. Here are the criterial for speed bump applications:

1. The street must be a residential, neighborhood street with no industrial or commercial properties.
2. The Street cannot be a major collector or arterial street.
3. Prevailing speed limit on the street must not exceed 25 mph.
4. Undulations cannot be installed over manholes, valves or monuments.
5. Undulations cannot be located within 25 feet of a fire hydrant.
6. Undulations cannot be located within 10 feet of a driveway.
7. Undulations cannot be located within a street curve or corner.
8. Emergency services (Fire and police) must approve the location.
9. City shall notify residents and Neighborhood Council on the affected street of any proposal to install a Speed Control Undulation.
10. Neighborhood Council must have consensus of neighborhood support for the specific locations and need to install the Speed Control Undulations.
11. Owner-residents of adjacent properties must support the location.
12. City Council must approve installation of a Speed Control Undulation.
13. Installation must be in accordance with City Standards and Criterial for installation of Speed Control Undulations.

The following procedures shall be used:

1. initial proposal for installation of Speed Control Undulations shall be routed to the City Traffic Engineer and Neighborhood Council Coordinator for processing (Note, there is no longer a “neighborhood council coordinator”)
2. Traffic Engineer shall review the proposed installation for compliance with City Standards and Criteria for Installation of Speed Control Undulations.
3. Neighborhood Council Coordinator shall notify residents of proposal, obtain Neighborhood Council recommendation, confirm neighborhood consensus and obtain property owner-resident consensus.
4. Traffic Engineer will notify emergency services and public transit agencies of proposal and obtain recommendations.
5. Traffic Engineer and Neighborhood Council Coordinator will prepare a staff report and recommendations for City Council. City Council will approve or deny all proposed installations for Speed Control Undulations.
6. Traffic Engineer will prepare a Work Request to Public Woks Department Operations and Maintenance Division for installation of approved Speed Control Undulations.

Several questions were later raised:

• What is consensus? Merriam-Webster defines “consensus” as “the judgment arrived at by most of those concerned,” which is not very helpful. If you have a majority,  go with it.
• Who is the traffic engineer? I don’t know, and the City’s website is not helpful, but try Tawfic Halaby, tawfic_halaby@ci.richmond.ca, 510-621-1612. I tried the number, and there was no answer. Tawfic may be gone, so contact Joe Leach, PE, Public Works Director, City of Richmond, 510-610-5478, joe_leach@ci.richmond.ca.us.
• There is no “neighborhood council coordinator” anymore, so just contact the City Manager’s Office: Irene Lozano, Executive Assistant to the City Manager, City Manager’s Office, 510-621-1264, irene_lozano@ci.richmond.ca.us.

The City Standards are shown below: