Speed humps

Find out about the process for getting a speed hump on your street.


Requesting speed humps

If you’re concerned about the speed of traffic on a street in Lower Hutt, speed humps could help.

Traffic calming measures can reduce the speed of traffic on our roads. We find out which traffic calming measures to use by looking at the type of roads, types of vehicles using the road, and the surrounding land use of the area.

If you see someone driving dangerously, report it to the Police by calling *555, or filling out this roadwatch form.

Logging a speed hump request doesn't guarantee that we’ll install speed humps on your street. There are many checks that need to happen first.

First, we figure out what the vehicle operating speed is on your street. We do this by installing survey devices to record speeds over seven days. This helps us decide whether traffic calming is needed, and how bad the problem is compared to other streets.

We can’t install speed humps on streets that:

  • are classified as Regional, Arterial or Collector Roads (vehicle volumes are too high)
  • are steep or winding (the humps can make vehicles lose control of their cars and lead to property damage too)
  • have blind corners, or reduced visibility between road curves (drivers have to be able to see the humps when approaching)
  • are on bus routes (the shape of speed humps and the length of buses causes a ‘double thump’ effect which is uncomfortable for passengers)
  • are cul-de-sacs
  • have a history of flooding.

Speed cushions are best for bus routes as they slow cars but allow buses to pass over easily.

1. Check that your street meets the criteria listed above.

2. Check that your neighbours support your request. Do this by:

  • Choosing a street representative and collecting signatures from people that live on your street and the next one over.
  • Making sure at least 75% of people on the street need to support your request.
  • Letting everyone on the street know that a speed hump or other traffic calming measures could be installed outside their driveway, house or garage.

3. Understand the downsides to speed humps

  • They inconvenience law abiding drivers too.
  • Vehicles speed up between them which can create more engine noise.
  • Empty trucks ‘rattle’ when they pass over them creating noise and vibration. They can damage the road.

To start the speed hump request process, you must get the following information from your neighbours:

  • full name
  • home address
  • email
  • phone number
  • signature.

Make sure you have your neighbourhood signatures ready to upload when filling out the form. If they’re on paper, take a photo or scan it. You can upload a jpeg, png, pdf, Excel or Word file.

Fill out the speed humps request form

Once we’ve received your request we’ll do a technical assessment. This normally takes 6-9 weeks.

We’ll use this information and your consultation to make a decision, and get back to your street representative.

If we decide that speed humps are needed, your request will be prioritised. Installation time varies and depends on other work already scheduled at the time of request.

We might decide that speed humps or other traffic calming measures aren’t necessary. If this happens, we’ll do other checks to help make the right decision. These can include speed profile readings, road safety education, or monitoring traffic in the area to better understand the situation.