The City of Danville recently installed a speed hump on Figg Alley near Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center. They are installing another speed hump on Apache Trail in the next few weeks.

The City of Danville’s Engineering Department and Public Works have made roadway safety a priority in Danville. While Danville only has permission to make repairs or improvements to City Streets, the city will advocate for improvements on state highways through the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.

With a focus on making City Streets as safe as possible, sometimes that means getting folks to slow down and become more aware of their surroundings.  We know that drivers may become desensitized to signage, lights or even lines on the road. So, sometimes other measures must be taken to slow vehicles, especially in areas with increased pedestrian traffic, like Figg Alley where a speed hump was installed; or areas with other potential hazards, like Apache Trail near the curve leading to Nokomis Street, where a speed hump will be installed in the next few weeks.

In particular, Apache Trail has ample signage and reflective posts that alert drivers to the curve when approaching Nokomis Street. However, after a while, these have become less effective in reducing speed and accidents have occurred.

As the City of Danville looks at other opportunities to improve driver and pedestrian safety, it’s important that we are aware of areas of concern.  Public works staff, nor the Danville Police Department, can be in all places at once. We may collect data to support these projects, but it is still helpful to have community input in order to move improvements along. We appreciate your feedback! Please make requests, or submit your suggestions, using the DanvilleKY app or by visiting the Submit A Request section at danvilleky.gov.

Now, what’s the difference between a speed bump and a speed hump? Unlike speed bumps, which you will normally see in parking lots or driveways, speed humps are more likely to be found on residential streets. A speed hump is a more gradual raised “hump” in the road. It’s more of a subtle reminder to slow down. A speed bump will require you to be driving at a crawling speed and, if you’re not, you’re going to be forced to slow down. Both are effective but they’re typically placed in different areas, based on appropriateness.