Speed humps are being installed on La Vista Drive. Photo by Renee Umsted.
Speed humps meant to slow traffic are being installed this week on La Vista Drive.
The City of Dallas is installing the devices in three locations along La Vista, between Alderson and Live Oak streets.
David Dean, a member of the Swiss Avenue Historic District’s Alliance Against Crime, said 20,000 cars travel on this stretch of the road daily. Those cars are averaging 10 mph over the speed limit, which is 30 mph, Dean said. That means some cars are traveling faster than 40 mph.
This project has been a collaborative effort between the Dallas Department of Transportation, the Swiss Avenue Historic District and the office of District 14 City Council member Paul Ridley.
A traffic study was completed, and residents signed petitions to show the city that they wanted traffic-calming measures, Dean said.
But the speed humps don’t just affect the historic district residents and their “slice of heaven,” Dean said. The traffic-calming devices make the area safer for walkers, cyclists, motorists and everyone who works and plays in East Dallas, including those heading to the Lakewood Post Office or using the Swiss Avenue Linear Park — not to mention the thousands of visitors who come to the neighborhood for the annual Swiss Avenue Historic District Mother’s Day Home Tour or trick-or-treating on Halloween.
The speed humps on La Vista are not the only examples of safety improvements in the neighborhood. Swiss Avenue residents have also successfully pushed for rectangular rapid-flashing beacons at the busy Munger-Swiss intersection and stop signs at Swiss and Fitzhugh.
These show how much intentionality the city is putting into its Vision Zero initiative, Dean said.
