In the city of Walnut Creek, CA speed bumps were installed on Homestead Avenue and Walnut Boulevard. Roughly 5-6 bumps per road, over a one mile area due to complaints from some individuals who live there. It is not possible to get used to these speed bumps. They ruin cars and injure backs.

This is not a parking lot. This is an important road for all individuals commuting back and forth from the southern to north/eastern parts of Walnut Creek. 99.9% of people who drive on these roads, sometimes several times a day, do not live in this specific area. Yet, none of those individuals were informed or consulted regarding the installation of speed bumps.

These speed bumps add more danger then they do increase safety. Some drivers reduce to speeds of 5-10mph while driving over the speed bumps, then accelerate back to 25mph or more in between each bump. Others do not reduce speed at all. Some drive dangerously close to the car in front of them, not slowing in accordance with that car, while others may attempt to drive with only half of their vehicles over the bumps. Drivers have also been witnessed attempting to maneuver around the car in front of them by swerving dangerously into the other side of the street, directly into oncoming traffic, in an attempt to overtake the car ahead of them and go faster. All of this adds up to a chaotic scene, filled with erratic, angry, and/or frightened drivers on these roads.

I was told it had been decided by the Transportation Commission of Walnut Creek to make these bumps permanent. Even if they are to be a little smaller (than the current, temporary bumps) they will still bring more danger than safety to those attempting to traverse these roads. Not to mention the potential harm done to driver's backs, their vehicles, and the increasingly aggravated drivers

Please add your signature to this petition to permanently REMOVE these speed bumps and return our roads to a smooth and drive-able condition.

Here are some additional cited facts about the issues with speed bumps/humps/tables and such.

Contemporary wisdom now recognizes the shortcomings of and frustrations associated with speed bumps. Media report that speed humps:

-Are expensive to install and expensive to maintain—Speed humps can cost $4,500 to $7,500. [Source: The Washington Post, Sept. 9, 2008]

-Interfere with response times of emergency vehicles—Each speed hump costs fire trucks ten seconds in response time. [Source: ABC Orlando/WFTV, Jan. 28, 2010; and Fire Capt. Jeffrey Martin, St. Petersburg Times, Feb. 2, 2008; and the Tampa Tribune, Sept. 20, 2008]

-Reduce property values—Prospective homebuyers reject home sites near speed humps. [Source: Tampa Bay Online, Sept. 30, 2009]

-Increase noise levels—Speed humps usher in a constant barrage of scraping cars and engines revving over the humps. [Source: Tampa Bay Online, Aug. 12, 2009]

-Increase wear and tear on residential and commercial vehicles—Speed humps are a source of excessive wear on tires, brakes, suspension systems, shock absorbers and rattle dashboards. [Source: The Natchez Democrat, Oct. 28, 2009]

-Expensive to remove—Municipalities, under pressure by citizens and enforced by the courts, have been forced to remove speed humps at great expense to tax payers. [Source: Tampa Bay Online, Sept. 30, 2009]

-Increase air pollution—On roads with speed humps, carbon monoxide emissions increase by 82 percent, carbon dioxide emissions double and nitrogen oxide increases by 37 percent. [Source: BBC.com, April 22, 2009]

-Reduce fuel efficiency and increase gas consumption—By forcing drivers to brake and accelerate repeatedly, speed humps will cause a car that normally that gets 58.15 mpg travelling at a steady 30mph to deliver only 30.85 mpg. [Source: BBC.com, April 22, 2009]