Kim Polomka has watched wreck after wreck from the living room of his home on East Platte Avenue in Colorado Springs. He has photographed them and tried to convince the city to installed “traffic calming devices” to slow traffic and make the street safer.
Now he is asking for something most would declare outrageous. He wants potholes on Platte. Or at least the illusion of potholes.
Polomka discovered a decal that can be laid in the street to simulate the look of a pothole. He says it would slow motorists and put an end the slam zone. Here is a look at what he’s proposing in photos from the Internet:
They are an amazing optical illusion. Check this out:
These decals were invented by Brad Groff, an attorney in Georgia. He also created an optical speed hump as an alterative to the pothole. The photos of the decals show them being used to advertise a suspension system for automobiles. (Absorbs shocks so well you never feel the potholes).
Here is a link to his patent application.
City traffic engineers are not impressed. They believe motorists speeding up Platte to get to Burger King before it closes would freak at the sight of the Grand Canyon in front of them, swerve into oncoming traffic and clobber somebody.
Anyway, it seems to be a creative way to deal with the problem. Put a couple potholes down for a few days and move them around. OK. Maybe it isn’t such a good idea.
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Though it is creative, and may have some valid applications, I think fake potholes would do little to improve safety on Platte.
As a matter of fact it is likely that they would cause speed differences and erratic behaviour among drivers. Drivers who know they are fake will drive over them as if they where a mere novelty. Drivers traveling down Platt for the first time will likely slam on the brakes as a pothole large enough to swallow a military humvee instantly appears before them. I can only see this leading to more accidents, especially rear endings.
My suggested plan of action:
1. Limit the type of traffic permitted on this section of Platte if it has not already been done. Commercial vehicles, vehicles with trailers, and bicycles should all be diverted to alternate routes.
2. Construct turn lanes wherever possible. I realize that trees are a concern, and that people may not want to lose a chunk of their front yard, but it may be necessary.
3. Restrict movements. Instead of letting people turn left, have them go around the block, or turn around at the next light.
4. This one may seem rather ridiculous to Americans, but I have seen it work effectivly as I spent time in Europe. Change the road surface to cobblestones or paving bricks. As you drive though Europe, you may cruise along ay 100kph on a two lane country lane, but as soon as you travel through a town at 50kph or less, a constant rumble can serve as a constant reminder that you are not on the autobahn.
5. Speed signs – the downside is that some drivers speed up to see the flashing lights! I may or may not have done this in the past. (depending on how many law enforcment officers read these comments)
While looking at satalite pictures of the area I came up with another idea, this time a little less radical, though still a big change. Boulder St. runs parallel to Platte from Cascade, all the way east to their intersection near Platte and Circle where Platte bends to the north slightly. Platte has considerably more traffic capacity at this point in time, but it Boulder street was upgraded along the area mentioned, would it be possible to make the two streets into opposing one way streets? I was very much against the plan to make Tejon into a two way, though I have learned to live with it despite my displeasure. One way streets simplify intersections for pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers, and I think that if the money where there, it could be a viable solution.
You should check out the traffic calming measures on US-50 in Virginia
http://www.virginiadot.org/projects/northernvirginia/route_50_traffic_calming_measures_-_gilberts_corner.asp