Get Involved

1. First, you will want to identify the traffic concerns in your neighborhood.
2. Fill out an online request in our service request portal, KentWorks or SeeClickFix. Create a new request and select “Traffic Calming Request” as your category. You may also contact the city staff via mail, phone, or email. Please contact the City Traffic Engineer, Erik Preston at 253-856-5596, EPreston@KentWA.gov, or mail to Erik Preston, City of Kent, Public Works Engineering , 400 W Gowe St, Kent, WA 98032. 
3. A representative from the city will contact you directly.

Once the Citizen Action Request form is received, the Public Works Transportation Engineering Staff will follow up with you to discuss the next steps.

Steps of RTCP

Gathering Support

After we receive a request, the first step is to gather support. We will need to hear from a total of 5 or more different households on your street including your household. The residents may call, email, or you can circulate and return the petition form to let us know they support this effort.

Data Collection and Evaluation

Once the support is received, the city will then conduct a traffic study to determine if the minimum requirements are met to qualify for the installation of traffic calming devices. As part of the traffic study, points will be awarded based on the characteristics of each street. (More information on the RTCP can be found here).  A minimum total score of 50 points is required to move forward with consideration of traffic calming measures. If the total score is less than 50 points, the city will work with the neighborhood to identify appropriate education and enforcement strategies.

Validation of Traffic Study Results

If the minimum point threshold is met, a minimum of two (2) speed studies, conducted at least 8 weeks apart, are required before moving forward with engineering recommendations. Traffic speeds and volumes in the second study must be within 10 percent of the original study to validate the results. If the speeds and volumes of the second study are not within 10 percent, a final third study will be conducted.

Neighborhood Meeting

After the validation requirement is met, the city will hold a neighborhood meeting to share the results of the study with the residents and to help determine the preferred types of traffic calming devices and their approximate locations. All traffic calming measures are subject to approval by the City Traffic Engineer, School District Transportation Department, Kent Police Department, and the Fire Marshall.

Neighborhood Voting

Next comes the neighborhood voting. The city will mail a ballot to affected residents within the study area, allowing those residents to vote on the traffic calming measures the City recommends be installed. The City requires a 33% ballot return rate and a 55% majority approval of the returned ballots before any traffic calming measures will be installed. Residents will be notified of the ballot results and if applicable, the approximate construction timeline.

Installation

City engineering staff will design the traffic calming measures and develop a plan to install them.

Evaluation and Follow-up

A follow-up study should occur at least 6 months after installation. Traffic speed and volume data should be collected and any change in traffic volumes and speeds on the treated streets documented.

Reconsideration of Requests

Requests that were not successfully implemented in previous attempts will only be reconsidered in the following instances:

1. The proposal was not implemented due to budget constraints and the minimum points required to continue to be met.
2. Traffic conditions have changed due to roadway improvements or land use changes, as determined by the City Traffic Engineer.
3. At least 36 months have passed since the previous request for action that failed to meet the minimum points required.

Traffic Calming Toolbox

1. Speed Cushion (Speed Bump)
2. Raised Crosswalk
3. Traffic Circle
4. Mini Roundabout
5. Choker
6. Chicane
7. Bulb-out
8. Radar speed sign
9. Striping etc.