About The First Speed Bump In America
This early experiment in Chatham played a crucial role in the development of traffic safety measures
A speed bump, also known as speed hump, is a raised ridge or bump on a road surface that is specifically designed to slow down the speed of vehicles passing over it. Speed bumps are typically made of materials such as asphalt, concrete, or rubber.
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The first speed bump in the United States was installed in Chatham, New Jersey in 1906. Workers raised crosswalks five inches to reduce drivers' speed. These new, and controversial, speed bumps were placed on the town's Main Street to slow down cars that were speeding through the town.
Driver Instructors Association acknowledges the first known speed bump was added to a road in Chatham, New Jersey. Chatham Historical Society recognizes that speed bumps were first installed on Main Street in Chatham. Safety Sign Online notes the first appearance of speed humps came into being in 1906 in Chatham, New Jersey.
These "scorchers" represented a disturbance to the peace of the locals, as well as a danger to the community, which was home to many families with small children. Eventually they were all replaced with other more practical traffic calming measures.
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This 1906 legislation ultimately provided funds for the construction of the speed bumps on various local roads within the town. Town visitors were dubbed “scorchers,” and they drove at 30 to 40 miles an hour, despite the 10 mile an hour speed limit that was enforced on local roads.
The house that stood at 100 Fairmount Avenue, now the site of the Stanley Church School, was originally owned by town councilman Frederick Boyle who was the sponsor of the “Bump the Bumps” legislation.
Councilman Boyle proposed the installment of speed bumps as response to these local concerns, which attracted a lot of attention. The speed bumps where not the invention of Councilman Doyle, nor were they original to the town of Chatham.
But when installed they gathered unprecedented global attention. Unlike modern speed bumps, this early version was quite severe - essentially a piece of cobblestone that stuck up about 5 inches from the road surface and used as cross walks.
The installation of these raised crosswalks was a public event that was covered by local newspapers and The New York Times. This early experiment in Chatham played a crucial role in the development of traffic safety measures, demonstrating both the potential effectiveness and the challenges of physical speed reduction devices.
The concept has since evolved significantly, but the basic principle of using road design to influence driver behavior remains a key part of traffic management strategies. This installation in Chatham is often cited as the birth of modern traffic calming techniques in the United States.
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Today, Chatham, NJ, no longer uses the 5 inch raised cross walk speed bumps on Main Street. Instead, like many towns, it has implemented various updated traffic calming methods to manage vehicle speeds, improve pedestrian safety, and enhance the overall livability of the area.
These new and improved traffic calming measures include effective signage for speed limits, pedestrian zones, and the use of visual elements like flat, brick crosswalks.