FMPC approves ‘speed cushions’ for Union, Midhurst
Union Road and Midhurst Drive residents who applied for speed cushions on their roads got their wish. Farragut Municipal Planning Commission unanimously approved both requests during its meeting Thursday, Nov. 20.
The Union Road request involves the installation of two sets of speed cushions on Union Road, according to assistant Town engineer Eric Schindler.
“On Aug. 29, 2024, the Town of Farragut received a completed Traffic Calming Application from the residents of the speed zone on Union Road — the portion of Union Road between Smith Road and Everett Roa — requesting consideration of traffic calming in the form of speed cushions,” Schindler said. “A speed study was conducted and determined that excessive speeding is present in the speed zone.”
He explained speeding is defined by having an 85th percentile speed greater than 10 mph over the posted speed limit.
“A public meeting was held Aug. 6 to gauge support and obtain resident feedback,” Schindler said. “The support from the residents in attendance was overwhelmingly positive.
“The Traffic Calming Policy requires that greater than 50 percent of the returned ballots from the speed zone be in favor of traffic calming devices,” he said. Sixteen ballots were mailed out and a total of seven votes were received, with six — 86 percent — of those votesbeing in favor of traffic calming devices.
“Two locations on Union Road were selected for the installation of speed cushions,” Schindler said. “The proposed speed cushions are comprised of injection molded composite material, are approximately 78 inches wide by 80 inches long and approximately 3 inches tall at the highest point.
“The speed cushions are designed for a vehicle speed of 15 to 20 mph,” Schindler added. “This type of cushion allows emergency vehicles to bypass the traffic calming device by providing a wheel gap between the bumps. However, the cushions are wide enough that no standard passenger vehicle or truck can easily bypass them.
“The speed cushions to be installed are bolt-down speed cushions similar to what has previously been installed on Admiral Road, Sonja Drive, and Clover Fork Drive,” he said.
Schindler said the cost is estimated at $7,000.
Similarly, some Midhurst Drive residents also applied for speed cushions on their road, from the eastern intersection of Foxford Drive to Barbara Lane. The assistant engineer said the application was for three speed cushions.
Like Union Road, there also was a speed study conducted, which “determined that excessive speeding is present in the speed zone,” Schindler said.
During a public meeting on Aug. 7, he said the support for the speed cushions was “overwhelmingly positive.”
The vote showed of the 26 ballots mailed to residents, 14 were received with 13 — or 93 percent — in favor of the traffic-calming devices, he said.
Using the same type speed cushions as Union Road, they will be placing them at 11605 Midhurst Drive, 11550 Midhurst Drive and 11534 Midhurst Drive for a cost of $10,000.
