Traffic Calming Program
The City of Stockton addresses neighborhood traffic issues, traffic safety and neighborhood livability through a community-based Neighborhood Traffic Management Program (NTMP), commonly referred to as traffic calming. The goal of the NTMP is to improve safety and the quality-of-life for residents by reducing the impacts from speeding vehicles, cut-through traffic, and careless drivers on residential streets.
The NTMP goals include:
- providing neighborhood residents with the education and information necessary to become active participants in addressing their neighborhood-identified traffic issues through a traffic calming plan,
- implementing traffic calming techniques and effective engineering principles, and
- targeted police enforcement.
Traffic calming measures are simple roadway design features that:
- reduce the effects of motor vehicle use,
- alter driver behavior, and
- improve conditions for non-motorized street users.
Most traffic calming measures create slight alterations to the street geometry, reducing its real or perceived width, or cause the driver to negotiate curvature or pavement texture. Traffic calming creates a better neighborhood environment giving residents a sense of safety and comfort when using their local streets.
Report defective, flashing or broken traffic lights immediately to the Municipal Service Center.
Traffic Calming Process
Application Process
Applications are received on a continuous basis and are processed on a first-come, first-served basis. Each neighborhood application is assigned to the appropriate quadrant of the City (Northwest [NW], Southwest [SW], Northeast [NE], and Southeast [SE]) and is placed on the waiting list for that quadrant. Based on current funding, two neighborhoods from each quadrant are processed each year.
Neighborhood Meeting
When a neighborhood reaches the top of the waiting list, a kick-off meeting is scheduled and every resident within the neighborhood boundaries is invited to the meeting. After a presentation of all available traffic calming measures, the costs, advantages and disadvantages, residents vote on how they would like to proceed.
Developing a Traffic Calming Plan
Interested residents from the neighborhood can volunteer to serve on the Traffic Calming Committee and work with their neighbors and the City to develop a traffic calming plan unique to the neighborhood and residents' concerns.
Vote of the Neighborhood
When the proposed plan is completed and approved by the City Traffic Engineer, it is put out to a vote of the entire neighborhood. If approved by a simple majority (50% +1 of the returned ballots), the speed hump plan proceeds to construction. If the plan is based on the full program it may be sent for design engineering, a Public Hearing, put out for bid, and City Council approval before it reaches construction stage.
Construction
Construction is generally done, between March and October, when daytime temperatures run, between 60 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit, and the pavement is dry.
Funding
The City Council has allocated $25,000 to each neighborhood for traffic calming. This funding comes from Measure K, the County's half-cent sales tax, and may only be used for local street and highway projects.
Traffic Calming Choices
Neighborhoods may choose between the Expedited Speed Hump Program or the Full Traffic Calming Program.
Expedited Speed Hump Program
The expedited program was created as an alternative for neighborhoods interested only in speed humps and reduces the need for educational requirements, traffic studies, and qualifying criteria. The Speed Hump Program consists of non-physical and vertical measures only, and it usually proceeds from the neighborhood kick-off meeting to construction in as little as 3 to 4 months.
Full Traffic Calming Program
Full Traffic Calming Program consists of all available traffic calming measures. Generally, a design consultant must be hired to design the plan and in addition to neighborhood approval, it requires approval by the City Council before the plan is put out to bid for construction. Overall, the costs of the Full Program are much higher.
Request Traffic Calming
Contact the Neighborhood Traffic Management Program Coordinators to request an application for Traffic Calming in your neighborhood or download the Neighborhood Traffic Management Program Request Form.
Police Enforcement
Intensified enforcement of traffic regulations can calm traffic, generally by reminding drivers of posted speed limits and by enforcing the observance of STOP signs. Call the non-emergency number for the Stockton Police Department at 209-937-8377 to request targeted enforcement.
Request for STOP or other Traffic Signs and Devices
Stop signs are not traffic calming measures and State and Federal guidelines preclude their use to "slow" vehicles. The function of a Stop sign is to assign right-of-way at intersections, and they are typically installed after a study to determine if warrants, criteria established by the Federal Highway Administration and Cal-Trans, are met.
To request a stop sign or other traffic signs and devices, contact the Public Works Department. To request a stop sign or other traffic signs and devices, please visit Ask Stockton and select the appropriate topic.
Requests for Crosswalks
Requests for Crosswalks must meet the guidelines as stated in the Pedestrian Safety and Crosswalk Installation Guidelines. Contact the Public Works Department for more information.
Bikes & Pedestrians
Traffic Engineering follows the Stockton Bicycle Master Plan when implementing bicycle facilities.
Vision Zero Program
The City of Stockton has recently applied for and successfully received grant funds to develop a Vision Zero Program. This program will identify and implement safety programs and their plans necessary in moving forward a goal of zero fatalities and severe injury accidents for transportation and traffic-related incidents.
We will be reaching out to communities and local groups in the near future to initiate workshops during program development.
Program Implementation
Once we have developed a Vision Zero Program, we will continue to seek funding for implementing various safety programs and plans.
Truck Routes
Trucks and commercial vehicles provide goods and essential services to residents every day. The City's diverse mixture of land, dense urban environment, and vast transportation infrastructure, require a distinct set of rules and regulations to govern the operation of trucks and commercial vehicles on city streets.
For this system to function properly, truck drivers must observe these rules and regulations. The City of Stockton Truck Route Map helps truck and commercial vehicle operators plan their routes.
STAA Truck Routes
The Surface Transportation Assistance Act (STAA) of 1982 allows large trucks to operate on the Interstate and certain primary routes (collectively called the National Network.) These STAA trucks are longer than California legal trucks. As a result, STAA trucks have a larger turning radius than most local roads can accommodate.
The City of Stockton coordinates with San Joaquin County Public Works and Caltrans when establishing STAA Routes in and around the City. The STAA Truck Route Map helps operators determine these routes within Stockton and San Joaquin County.
An application for a STAA Truck Terminal Access can be submitted to the Traffic Engineering Division. The application process can be viewed on the Caltrans website.
External Links
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This City of Stockton web page last reviewed on --- 4/12/2023