What the heck is a speed table and how will it slow you down in downtown Wichita?
If you’re into speed, a “speed table” might sound like something that would be really fun to drive through.
It’s not. In fact, it’s exactly the opposite.
A speed table is created by raising the center of an entire intersection about six inches above the surrounding pavement, said Wichita City Engineer Gary Janzen.
When you drive over it, you feel it going up, and then you feel it coming down.
“It’s in a roundabout way it’s a giant speed bump that’s as wide as the intersection,” Janzen said. “If they take something like that at normal speed, they probably won’t do it again.”
The city is installing two speed tables on Second Street through Old Town as part of its ongoing effort to slow the flow of traffic in the center of the city.
“This project is . . . the first location in the city that will feature raised intersections, or speed tables, for traffic calming and to enhance the pedestrian activity and experience in Old Town,” Janzen said. “This is something that we’re hoping that we’ll see show proof that will slow traffic down by means that we don’t have right now.”
The speed tables are under construction at the corners of Second and Mead and Second and Mosley as part of a $2.5 million repaving project. The south lane is nearing completion and the north lane is soon to come.
“This has proven to work well in the core areas of other cities. We’re excited to see how well that works,” Janzen said.
This story was originally published June 20, 2019 at 3:48 PM.
