If you own an apartment building or complex with a large parking lot, then you may struggle to get tenants and visitors to obey your parking lot speed limits. For this reason, you may have considered installing speed bumps in your lot. 

However, you may have some questions about speed bump installation that you would like answered before you have a paving company install speed bumps in your parking lot. 

Learn the answers to a few frequently asked questions about parking lot speed bump installation. 

What Are the Benefits of Installation of Speed Bump ?

Transportation experts have found that speed bumps can decrease the frequency of collisions that occur on the roads where they are installed. In fact, in a study the Portland Bureau of Transportation performed, the collision frequency on roads decreased by about 39 percent after speed bumps were added to them.

This study also revealed that when collisions do occur on roads with speed bumps, they tend to result in fewer injuries.

In addition, speed bumps can greatly reduce the number of pedestrian collisions that occur on and near roadways. In fact, after speed bumps are added to streets that many children live on, the number of children vehicles struck decreased greatly.

Speed bump installation also helps improve speed limit compliance and can reduce your liability when traffic collisions do occur in your parking lot. By installing speed bumps, you perform your due diligence to promote slow and safe driving in your parking lot.

What Are Speed Bump Regulations? 

Speed bump regulations can vary by state. While some states prohibit speed bump installation on private roads altogether, others allow property owners to install them any time they desire. However, some states only allow property owners to install speed bumps after obtaining approval from the county.

Typically, in counties where speed bumps are permitted, they can only go in areas that meet certain criteria. Typically, experts will consider road traffic volume, the speed limit of the road or parking lot, and the speed vehicles typically travel at in the area before issuing installation permits.

In addition, while no federal guidelines regulate speed bump height, width, and spacing, many counties do require that speed bump design meet regulations specific to the county.

Many counties also require a yellow sign that states that speed bumps are ahead in an area that drivers will see before encountering speed bumps.

How Are Asphalt Speed Bumps Installed?

To install a speed bump, paving experts first clean off the asphalt pavement the speed bump will go on. They do this to remove dirt and debris that could interfere with the proper adherence to the new asphalt that creates the bump.

Next, they mark speed bump dimensions on existing pavement and carve a notch about two inches in width around the perimeter of the area where the speed bump will go. They then cover the area inside of the notching with a special bonding oil that aids in speed bump adherence to existing asphalt pavement.

Finally, they pour wet asphalt over the bonding oil and shape it with a rake into a bump before they use a special vibratory plate to compact the asphalt bump. 

After the asphalt cures, experts apply a special seal coat and any paint local regulations require, such as yellow striping. 

Do you own an apartment building or complex and are you and your residents tired of careless drivers in your parking lots exceeding your posted speed limits? Then contact the paving experts at J R Paving & Construction Co., Inc., for quality asphalt speed bump installation today. We look forward to helping you!