Speed humps and speed bumps are commonly used in Australia to encourage slower traffic through occupied areas. This is especially important in areas of shared vehicle pedestrian usage, where a low speed limit is critical to maintaining public safety.
Roadway Services Australia specialises in quality asphalt traffic calming installations. We create speed bumps, speed humps and other traffic calming devices in a variety of locations such as:
- Strata developments, housing estates, or other real estate development with shared driveways, parking areas or private roads.
- Any business with a substantial parking lot, driveway, drive-through lane or loading zone.
- Schools, university and college campuses, hospitals, resorts and more!
So if you need to slow down vehicles on your property, give us a call today!
Speed Bumps versus Speed Humps
While they may seem interchangeable, speed humps and speed bumps are different devices with different uses. Installing the wrong device for your area could counteract the desired effect, or even create a hazard. Therefore, it’s important to understand the difference between the two.
Both speed bumps and speed humps use a vertical rise in the road surface to encourage speed reduction. However, they differ in the speeds they permit, and therefore in the places where they are suitable. That means that each one is suitable for a different purpose.
Speed Bumps
A speed bump covers only a short distance of road surface, making it a sharp obstacle for speeding vehicles. Drivers must slow down almost to a stop to safely traverse a speed bump; travelling over the bump at normal speed can easily cause vehicle damage. This drastic speed reduction makes speed bumps suitable only for very low-speed areas, with speed limits around 15km/h or lower. Common examples of speed bump usage include car parks and driveways.
- Shorter traversal distance
- Greater speed reduction
- Idea for shared pedestrian zones
Speed Humps
A speed hump covers a longer section of road, sometimes as much as a full wheel rotation. This makes a speed hump a less aggressive obstacle than a speed bump. In other words, a speed hump permits faster travel, while still discouraging excessive speed. Speed humps suit to places like residential roads, with speed limits typically between 30-50km/h. Examples on private property include educational campuses and caravan parks.
- Longer traversal distance
- Lesser speed reduction
- Ideal for private roads
Speed Tables and Raised Pedestrian Crossings
A speed table occupies about 4-meters in length of the road. It’s similar to a speed hump, but features an extended middle section that is flat. Typically a speed table comprises an onset ramp of approximately 1 meter, followed by a flat middle or table section spanning about 2 meters, and then an offset ramp of another meter. The table in the middle section is approximately the distance between the front and rear wheels of a standard car.
Because speed tables are sufficiently large, they can accommodate a pedestrian crossing within the middle section. The idea of combining speed tables with pedestrian crossings is becoming more popular. These raised pedestrian crossings have been given the name of ‘wombat crossings’. Studies have shown that ‘wombat crossings’ are considerably safer than ordinary pedestrian crossings. To read about the better safety record of these crossings, please see ‘Wombat crossings’ reduce pedestrian casualties by 63 per cent, says new study that appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald recently.
Why choose asphalt speed humps?
When you’re looking for traffic calming solutions, you’ll find two main categories of speed humps and speed bumps.
- Permanent speed humps, constructed from asphalt on-site.
- Removable speed humps, manufactured elsewhere from steel, plastic or rubber. They are installed with heavy duty bolts.
At Roadway Services Australia, we install both the permanent and removable versions. However, we recommend permanent asphalt speed humps to most of our customers. There are two main reasons—durability and cost.
In general, removable speed humps are designed for quick installation and easy removal, rather than longevity. Compared to removable speed bumps, asphalt lasts longer and is better at standing up to harsh Aussie conditions. Some high-quality removable speed humps will last for ages, but you will find that these exist in a different price range to asphalt!
Because asphalt provides a more durable installation at a lower cost, it’s a great budget-friendly choice for most applications.
Count on us for your traffic calming needs
With a background in traffic control, Roadway Services Australia have a wealth of experience with difficult traffic zones. We provide not only expert speed hump installation, but also help and advice on placement, planning and design!
You can’t go wrong when you entrust your traffic calming needs to Roadway Services Australia. So give us a call on 0448 153 694 today!