ARLINGTON, Va. — New speed humps are coming to school streets in Arlington County. The 'humps', pre-made speed bumps that the county will install, will be tested outside three local schools after the county found that drivers were ignoring posted speed limits.
"I do think it makes sense around schools because you have children, I see the kids walking and you just want to have an extra barrier of safety," said Asa Mack of Arlington View. "Depending on how high they are. Sometimes they make them extremely high and it's like, I'm cool with a speed hump but I don’t want to feel like I'm going uphill and going back down again."
The county has not released how large the new speed humps will be. The installation this fall is part of a pilot program in the county. Three schools, including Gunston Middle School, Cardinal Elementary School, and Hoffman Boston Elementary School, will receive the new safety humps.
"You never know when they might decide to put their foot on the gas," said Marie Smith, who has lived near Hoffman Boston Elementary School since the 1970s. "Sidewalks are the safest place but you never know when they might jump a curb."
The move comes after the county lowered speed limits to 20 miles per hour around 13 schools last year, but found that at many of them, the speed limits alone aren't working. The study is part of the county's Vision Zero program.
Once the speed humps are installed, the county will study their effectiveness.