INVESTIGATION INTO THE ADEQUACY AND FUNCTIONALITY OF SPEED

BUMPS OF SELECTED ROUTES IN OREDO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

BY

AKPOWENRE NATHANIEL ONORIODE

ENG1403499

2019/2020 SESSION
 INVESTIGATION INTO THE ADEQUACY AND FUNCTIONALITY OF SPEED
BUMPS OF SELECTED ROUTES IN OREDO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

BY

AKPOWENRE NATHANIEL ONORIODE

ENG1403499

SUPERVISED BY

ENG. DR. H.A.P AUDU

A PROJECT SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING IN

PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE AWARD OF
BACHELOR’S DEGREE (B.ENG.) IN CIVIL ENGINEERING

IN

THE DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

FACULTY OF ENGINERRING

UNIVERSITY OF BENIN

BENIN CITY

DECEMBER, 2019

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 CERTIFICATION

This is to certify that this research was carried out by AKPOWENRE NATHANIEL
ONORIODE of the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Benin, Benin city in
partial fulfilment of the requirement for the award of B.Eng. Degree in Civil Engineering.

_______________________ __________________________

ENG. DR. H.A.P AUDU Date

Project Supervisor

______________________ __________________________

Prof. O.U Orie Date

Head of Department

3
 DEDICATION
I dedicate this work to the Almighty God for his guidance and protection over my life and to
my family for the love and support that has been showered on me since the day of my birth.

4
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Firstly, all glory goes to God for allowing me to make it this far in my undergraduate
program, may his name be praised.

I would also like to thank my supervisor, Eng. Dr. H.A.P Audu, for his patience, ideas,
advice and guidance he provided during the course of the project.

I would also like to thank the H.O.D of Civil Engineering; Prof O.U Orie for his teachings
may he grow from strength to strength. Much praise goes to the Department of Civil
Engineering; the professors, the lecturers, laboratory attendants for living up to the motto of
the school “Knowledge for Service”. I am grateful to the entire staff for providing me with
the best educational experience to prepare me for the road which lies ahead.

My love, thanks and prayers go out to my family, my Parents Mr. and Mrs. Akpowenre for
their, monetary, spiritual, moral and all the other supports that could be given to a child and
more. My siblings, I love each one of you and I hope I can be a good example for you to
follow.

To the many friends who have made this stay an enjoyable one, my thanks and love go out
to all of you, my fellow students under Engr. Dr. Audu; Philip and Smart , thank you for
carrying me along, my friends; Blessed, Greg, Moses, Orezi, Osaro thanks for all the support
and companionship you have given me.

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

CERTIFICARTION iii
DEDICATION iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT v
TABLE OF CONTENTS vi
LIST OF TABLES viii
LIST OF FIGURES ix
ABSTRACT x
CHAPTER 1 1
1.0 INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 Background Of Study 1
1.2 Statement Of Problem 2
1.3 Aim And Objectives 3
1.4 Scope Of Work 4
1.5 Justification Of Study 4
CHAPTER 2 5
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW 5
2.1 Traffic Calming 5
2.1.1 Speed Bumps 7
2.1.2 Speed Bump Parameters 8
2.1.3 Speed Hump 9
2.1.4 Comparism Between Speed Bumps And Speed Humps 11
2.1.5 Advantages And Disadvantages Of Speed Bumps 12
2.1.6 Effects Of Speed Bumps On Vehicles 13
2.1.7 Warning Signs To Be Located At Speed Bumps 13
2.1.8 Emergency Vehicles 14
2.1.9 Planning And Spacing Of Speed Bumps 15
2.2 Speed Bump Standards In Selected Countries 15
2.3 Standard Used For The Study 19

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2.4 Review Of Related Studies 20
2.4.1 Review Of Work Done In Developed Countries 20
2.4.2 Review Of Work Done In African Countries 21
2.4.3 Review Of Work Done In Nigeria 22

2.5 Advancements In Speed Bump Technology 22

2.5.1 Actibump 22

2.5.2 Smartbump 23

CHAPTER 3 26
3.0 METHODOLOGY 26
3.1 Study Area 26
3.1.1 Population And Sample 26
3.2 Data Acquisition 27
3.3 Instrumentation 28
CHAPTER 4 30
4.0 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 30
4.1 Results 30
4.1.1 Geometric Parameters 30
4.1.2 Gps Coordinates 33
4.1.3 Materials Used, Existing Conditions And Presence Of Signage And Markings 34
4.1.4 Spacing And Distance To Nearest Road Intersection 36
4.2 Discussion Of Results 42
CHAPTER 5 45
5.0 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 45
5.1 Conclusion 45
5.2 Recommendations 46
REFERENCES 47
APPENDIX 50

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 LIST OF TABLES

Table 2.1: Comparism between speed bumps and speed humps 11

Table 2.2: Table of selected standard 20

Table 4.1: Parameters of speed bump obtained along Osuma road, Oredo LGA 30

Table 4.2: Parameters of speed bump obtained along Zabayor road, Oredo LGA 30

Table 4.3: Parameters of speed bump obtained along Ekpenede road, Oredo LGA 31

Table 4.4: UTM Coordinates of speed bumps along Osuma Road, Oredo LGA 32

Table 4.5: UTM Coordinates of speed bumps along Zabayor Road, Oredo LGA 33

Table 4.6: UTM Coordinates of speed bumps along Ekpenede Road, Oredo LGA 33

Table 4.7: Materials used, existing conditions and presence of signage and
markings of speed bumps along Osuma road, Oredo LGA 34

Table 4.8: Materials used, existing conditions and presence of signage

and markings of speed bumps along Zabayor road, Oredo LGA 34

Table 4.9: Materials used, erxisting conditions and presence of signage

and markings of speed bumps along Ekpenede road, Oredo LGA 35

Table 4.10: Spacing and distance to road intersection of speed bumps

along Osuma Road, Oredo LGA 35

Table 4.11: Spacing and distance to road intersection of speed bumps

along Zabayor Road, Oredo LGA 36

Table 4.12: Spacing and distance to road intersection of speed bumps along
Ekpenede Road, Oredo LGA 36

Table 4.13: Attributes of speed bump in the study area using frequency 37

Table 4.14: Reason for bump construction 39

Table 4.15: Common human activities in the selected area 39

Table 4.16: Environmental impact of bump erection 40

Table 4.17: Miscellaneous questions 40

Table 4.18: Motorist perception of speed bump in the study area using frequency 41

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 LIST OF FIGURES

Fig. 2.1: Connection between physical identities and characteristics

of tactile stimuli. 6

Fig. 2.2: a speed bump

Fig. 2.3 Types of speed humps

Fig. 2.4 Profile of Speed hump vs. Speed bump

Fig 2.5 an image showing the proper warning signs on a road with
speed bumps

Fig 2.6: Image showing actibump activating for a speeding vehicle

Fig 2.7 a smart bump

Fig. 3.1 Digital Map of the Study Area

Fig 3.2 an image of the UTM Geo map app

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 ABSTRACT
The research work, investigated the adequacy and functionality of speed bumps in selected
routes in Oredo Local Government Area. Speed bumps are physical traffic calming devices
which are used to reduce the speed of drivers by giving them an uncomfortable jolt when
crossed.

The work was done in two phases, which were field study and the questionnaires. During the
field study, the geometric properties of the bumps such as; height, length, spacing between
each bumps and distance from the intersections were measured with a measuring tape and a
hand held GPS was used to take the coordinates of the speed bumps on the selected routes.
The materials used in their creation were also recorded and contrasted against international
standards such as; Guideline for Speed Bump Installation in Santa Ana California USA,
Highway (Road Bumps) Regulations In England And Wales etc. Questionnaires were also
handed to motorists who ply the routes to determine public opinions about the state and their
dispositions towards the bumps.

The standard height of speed bump was between 0.075m and 0.105m; the standard length
was between 0.3m and 0.9m, the spacing between bumps was between 40m and 100m. A
total of 13 speed bumps were discovered from the selected routes. For length, all bumps
were within range set by international standards while with height, 5 were below standard, 6
between standard and 2 were above standard. For spacing only 4 bumps met the criteria
which were between 1st and 2nd bump on Osuma road, between 1st and 2nd bump, between 4th
and 5th speed bump on Zabayor road and lastly between 2nd and 3rd bump on Ekpenede road,
set by international standard which was 50-100m and the rest were either below or above it.
The materials used for construction of the bumps were also recorded as 10 were made from
asphalt and 3 from concrete however, 7 out of the 13 bumps were partially deteriorating but
the remaining 6 were in good condition. From the values gotten it was discovered that not all
parameters of the bumps acquired were not on par with those of international standards,
therefore the bumps were not fully adequate.

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 CHAPTER 1

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY

Across the world, road safety is one of the major problems. Over-speeding is a major
challenge of road safety in many countries and often contributes to more than a third of all
fatal accidents (Gonzalo-Orden et al., 2017). According to data recently released by the
World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 55 million people died worldwide in the
year 2011. Of these, 1.3 million were due to road injuries, equating to roughly 3500 each
day from road traffic injuries (Onyaemaechi and Ofoma., 2017). Road traffic injuries are a
major cause of death globally, with disproportionate number occurring in developing
countries. (Murray and Lopez., 1996).

The growth in numbers of motor vehicles is a major contributing factor in developing

countries (Nantulya and Reich., 2002). According to CARE (Community road accident
database), pedestrians participate in about 21% of the total number of fatalities, whereas in
urban areas the participation of pedestrians’ fatalities in road accidents is significantly
larger, about 36%.Pedestrian injuries are a growing public health problem in low- and
middle-income countries (LMICs). Most African countries fall within the middle income
category and thus, are worst hit by car accidents. Studies carried out by Chen, (2010);
Jacobs and Aeron-Thomas, (2000) and Lagarde, (2007) show that the fatality rate in African
countries ranges from 10-fold to more than 100-fold of those in the United States and has a
traffic mortality rate 28.3 per 100,000 populations when compared with 110 in Europe
(Assum., 1998). One may wonder why a less motorized Africa records the highest number
of road fatalities in the world, surging above an average of 18 deaths for 100,000
populations (Ukoji., 2014). The unfavorable disparities in pedestrian injury rates between
LMICs and high income countries (HICs) have arisen largely because LMICs do not usually
formulate appropriate rules to protect road users, particularly pedestrians and, when they do
enforcement is lacking.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) no fewer than 2,598 Nigerians died in
road accidents between October, 2017 and March, 2018. The bureau attributed the major
cause of road crashes in the first quarter to speed violation as it accounted for 50.81 % of the
total road accidents reported.

The Institute of Transportation Engineering in the Traffic Calming: State of the Practice
(Ewing, 1999 and Lockwood, 1997) defines traffic calming as “the combination of mainly
physical measures that reduce the negative effects of motor vehicle use, alter driver behavior
and improve conditions for non-motorized street users”. It is of the utmost importance to
assess the effectiveness of used road safety measures and search for innovative and versatile
solutions that would help solve the arising road safety problems. In order to reduce the
number of accidents and future rate of potential accidents on the roads is the reason why the
concept of traffic calming came into being.

Traffic calming measures are quite common in modern society. Its main purpose is to reduce
speed and create a safer traffic environment. They encourage or force motorists to drive
slow and constant speed. Traffic calming can also make streets more accessible and livable
for other users such as pedestrians, cyclists and nearby residents. One of the most
commonly applied traffic calming measures in urban zones with larger pedestrian presence
are vertical raisings of the road pavement, such as: speed bumps, speed humps and speed
lumps (cushions) (Boris et al., 2013). Speed bumps can have different heights, base widths,
and shapes. In fact, no particular design is suitable for all the types of vehicles using the road
(Sayed et al., 2018).

1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

A speeding vehicle can be a menace to other road users particularly on roads where
interaction between motorized and non-motorized traffic is high, such as residential streets,
school zones and community areas. Although speed limit signs are placed in accordance
with the requirements of the standards, the final decision is left in the hands of the drivers
whether they should obey the given laws of the road. Hence, controlling vehicular speeds is
an important issue in traffic management.

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The best way to influence driver speed is through traffic calming. They prevent speeding
and can increase overall road safety. Traffic calming measures have to adapt to the specific
condition of each location.

The design of road bumps influences driving comfort and through that drivers speed is
affected. If a road bump is designed in a way so that the driving discomfort does not
increase much as the speed increases, the driver will see no reason to slow down before
crossing a road bump. In most cases, drivers estimate the discomfort of crossing against
decreased travel time. Drivers are prepared to experience more discomfort if it will decrease
their travel time, at least to some level. Road bumps are installed in different environments,
on streets that have different characteristics. Car parking, interaction with vulnerable road
users and other things that make up the character of a street have an effect on drivers and
their speed choice.

In Nigeria (like in many other countries), the law prohibits the construction of speed bumps
on highways and it is only with government approval that bumps should be erected even in
residential areas. (National Road Traffic Regulations. FRN Official Gazette, Cited in Moses
and Fortunatas., 2017).

In Nigeria, almost all the existing bumps were indiscriminately erected without
specification, the spacing were inconsistent, their heights and widths varies from one to
another and to sum it up the bumps have no recourse to specification. (Ojo et al., 2015)

1.3 AIM AND OBJECTIVES

The aim of this project is to determine the functionality and adequacy of the speed bumps in
selected routes within Oredo Local Government Area. The objectives of this project include;

a) determine the need and number of speed bumps in the stud area in Oredo LGA
b) ascertain the level of adequacy of speed bumps in the area.
c) find the degree of functionality of speed bumps in the area.
d) compare the speed bumps discovered in the area with that of international
standards.
e) determine materials used for creation of speed bumps and if they match with
international standards.

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1.4 SCOPE OF WORK
The project entails locating speed bumps in the area, the measuring the design parameters
of speed bumps, compiling of speed bump data in the area to create a database and
comparison to other international standards to discover the level of adequacy of said traffic
calming measures. The project also includes the determination of suitability of materials
used in making of speed bumps, the intervals at which they occur and the overall
functionality of traffic calming measures in the area. It also included the distribution of
questionnaires to frequent users of the sited roads.

1.5 JUSTIFICATION OF STUDY

The Nigerian situation has reached such an alarming proportion even to the point of World
Health Organization country rankings of road traffic accidents. The country’s 149 th ranking
in 2009 out of 178 member states indicates the hazards associated with road transportation
in a country that is largely dependent on its road network for economic, social and physical
activities.

Edo state recorded the second highest fatal road accidents in Nigeria between June, 2006
and May 2014 with 1,129 deaths in 177 accident cases. There was a high record of fatal car
accident in 2013 with 210 deaths, seconded by 208 deaths in 2007, 196 in 2009, 164 in 2008
and 120 between January and May 2014. The strategic nature and location of Edo state as a
major link to South West, South-South, South East and North Central places it on a list of
states with high risk of fatal car accidents. The state also serves as a major terminal to most
drivers travelling to different parts of the country. Oredo LGA recorded 419 deaths from 83
accident cases, followed by Ovia South-West (286 deaths from 20 cases) and Ovia North-
East (176 deaths from 24 accident cases) (Ukoji., 2014).

The rationale for this study is to show the usefulness of speed bumps and other traffic
calming devices in Oredo Local Government. This study will help solve the problem of
speeding within this locality which leads to a reduction of fatal car and car related accidents
in the area; this in turn leads to the preservation of human life in the area. This research also
contributes knowledge to the area of safety studies.

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 CHAPTER 2
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 TRAFFIC CALMING

Traffic Calming is the combination of mainly physical measures that reduce the negative
effects of motor vehicle use, alter driver behavior and improve conditions for non-motorized
street users.

Traffic calming goals include:

a) increasing the quality of life;

b) incorporating the preferences and requirements of the people using the area (e.g.,
working, playing, residing) along the street(s), or at intersection(s);

c) creating safe and attractive streets;

d) helping to reduce the negative effects of motor vehicles on the environment (e.g.,
pollution, sprawl); and

e) promoting pedestrian, cycle and transit use.

Traffic calming objectives include:

a) achieving slow speeds for motor vehicles,

b) reducing collision frequency and severity,

c) increasing the safety and the perception of safety for non-motorized users of the
street(s),

d) reducing the need for police enforcement,

e) enhancing the street environment (e.g., street scaping),

f) encouraging water infiltration into the ground,

g) increasing access for all modes of transportation, and

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 h) reducing cut-through motor vehicle traffic.

(Lockwood, Ian. ITE Traffic Calming Definition.ITE Journal, July 1997),

It is achieved by education, enforcement and engineering. Education consists mainly of

signage and road markings; these are also called visual stimuli. The signs can be activated
by traffic to warn of excessive speed. Enforcement is the least popular method of traffic
calming. It is designed mainly to punish offenders who break the speed limit and is done
with the aid of speed cameras, red light cameras, law enforcement officers such as police,
road safety officials etc.

Engineering traffic calming measures are the construction or placement of devices to slow
down vehicle speed. They include; rumble strips, gates, speed tables, roundabouts, speed
bumps and speed humps etc. Speed bumps and speed humps are referred to as tactile stimuli
i.e. they are devices which produce distinct noise and vibrations inside the passing vehicle.
Speed bumps, humps and speed cushions are made from several different physical identities
such as length, height, length of ramps etc. Physical identities control to the discomfort that
road bumps produce. Vertical acceleration has been used to describe driving comfort when
crossing road bumps (Gupta., 2013). The connection between physical identities and
characteristics of road bump is shown in Fig. 2.1.

Fig. 2.1: Connection between physical identities and characteristics of tactile stimuli.
(Gupta, 2013)

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2.1.1 SPEED BUMPS
Speed bumps, also known as sleeping policemen, are raised pavements spanning across or
partly across a roadway, thus, forcing driver to reduce the speed of their vehicles in order to
minimize uncomfortable bumping or vibrating sensations produced when traversing them. A
speed bump works by transferring an upward force to a vehicle, and its occupants, as it
crosses the bump. The force produces a front-to-back pitching acceleration in vehicles
having a wheelbase similar to the length of the bump that increases as the vehicles travel
faster (Weber et al., 1998). At low speed the acceleration is of small amplitude. As speed
increase the amplitude and pitching also increase, as does the displacement. At low speeds
the speed bump gently lifts and pitches the vehicle. Only as speed increase does the
acceleration become more apparent as a jolt to the occupants in the vehicle. A schematic
diagram of a speed bump is presented in Fig. 2.2.

Fig. 2.2: a speed bump (smartbumps.com)

Speed bumps are designed to promote the orderly traffic moment and improve safety.
However, at certain location such as approaches to manned and unmanned level crossings,
sharp curves, accident prone locations, congested residential streets; control of speed may
become necessary to allow smooth flow of traffic. However in an uninterrupted flow
facility, with a strong emphasis on traffic safety and management, use of speed bump can’t
be underestimated. Speed bumps, where permitted to be installed, provide visual, audible

7
and traffic stimuli which alerts drivers and cause them to slow down. These can have
different heights, base widths and shape. In fact, no particular design is suitable for all the
types of vehicles using the road. They are several meters long, about a tenth of a meter high,
and can cover all or a portion of the width of a roadway. A speed hump is not the same as
the much wider speed bump.

2.1.2 SPEED BUMP PARAMETERS

Speed bumps can be fully described using several geometric and layout design parameters.
The geometric design parameters include; length, width, height and profile. The layout
design parameters for speed bump design are; type of materials, marking, signage and speed
bump spacing.

a. LENGTH
Length is the most important speed bump geometric design parameter. Effective bumps
should be at least as long as an automobile wheelbase to isolate the effects of entering
and exiting the bumps for these vehicles. Longer speed bumps should be used if heavier
vehicles are expected. Experiments have shown that as lengths are increased peak
accelerations tend to occur at higher speeds, and more linear dynamic effects are created.
In general, longer bumps exhibit better characteristics for speed reduction. Longer
bumps may be even better suited for heavy vehicles, although upper limits have not been
firmly established.
b. WIDTH
Speed bumps can either span the entire width of a road or taper short of the curb or road
edge. The advantage of the latter approach in an urban setting is that drainage at the curb
and gutter is not affected, and installations are therefore less expensive. Drivers can
attempt to exploit reduced widths and maneuvers around bumps unless preventative
measures are taken.
c. HEIGHT

Speed bump heights can influence the magnitudes of vertical accelerations and the
maximum levels of perceived discomfort. High bumps may cause damage to vehicle
under manage as they exit the measures. Low bumps can be ineffective. Heights usually
range from 50 to 120mm; with the most common being 75 or 100mm.

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 d. PROFILE

The effects of speed bump profile, particularly the effects of varying the slopes of the
entry and exit ramps, have not been examined as thoroughly as length or height.
Research is ongoing to determine the optimal ramp slopes for various speed bump
designs, particularly trapezoidal bumps. Circular, trapezoidal and sinusoidal speed
bumps of equivalent dimensions have been found to perform about equally well.

e. MATERIALS, MARKING AND SIGNAGE

Speed bumps with all speed reducing measures should be highly visible to warn drivers
to lower speeds and avoid vehicle damage or loss of control. This essentially eliminates
the potential for any legal liability on the part of the public road authority. Most
countries have developed special signs and markings for their speed bump installations,
and pre-warnings, design speed signs, contrasting materials and protective bollards are
usually employed.

f. SPACING

High bump crossing speeds can lead to high speeds between bumps, as can large
distances between them. Since an objective of traffic calming is to reduce vehicle speeds
over entire streets, the layout design or spacing of speed bumps is a key factor to be
considered. Previous research from several countries suggests that to achieve overall
speeds of 25 to 30 km/h, speed bumps should be placed between 40 and 60 meters apart.
Greater spacing, up to 100 meters, can be used for speeds of 50 km/h. Bump spacing can
be increased with the placement of other traffic calming measures.

2.1.3 SPEED HUMP

A speed hump is a raised, paved deflection, oriented transversely to the flow of traffic, and
having a sinusoidal, circular, parabolic or flat-topped profile in the direction of travel
(Abdel-Wahed and Hashim, 2017). The purpose of the hump is to force drivers to reduce
their speeds to mitigate an ‘‘unpleasant’’ bounce or jolt when traversing the device (Abdel-
Wahed and Hashim, 2017). They are the most common type of traffic calming devices due
to their low cost and easy installation. The most common design of speed humps is the

9
Watts Profile or circular hump. Most vehicles can traverse them safely at 25-30 km/h. Speed
humps are designed to create a rocking motion that increased driver discomfort as crossing
speed increased (Faheem, 2012).

Normally, speed humps are 3.70-4.25 m in length and up to 0.15 m in height. On an

exception basis, humps may be shorter or longer than the typical design. The lengths and
heights of the humps determine the speed at which traffic will travel over them. Shorter
lengths and greater heights force most vehicles to slow down considerably (Abdel- Wahed
and Hashim, 2017.). The various types of speed humps are shown in Fig. 2.3

Fig. 2.3 Types of speed humps (Weber, 1998)

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 2.1.4 COMPARISM BETWEEN SPEED BUMPS AND SPEED HUMPS

The comparison between speed bumps and speed humps is presented in table 2.1, while the
profile of speed bumps and humps are in fig. 2.4.

Table 2.1: Comparism between speed bumps and speed humps

SPEED BUMPS SPEED HUMPS

Speed bumps are more aggressive in Speed humps are less aggressive in
controlling traffic due to the size. controlling traffic as they are lower.

They are typically intended for front of store They are better suited for high traffic areas,
or school entrances, parking lots, at entrances from major highways and areas
pedestrian crossings, garages and near stop with larger vehicles.
sign locations.

Traffic proceeds slowly in areas where speed Speed humps offer softer intrusion. Traffic
bumps are placed. normally remains moving but at around 10 -
15 mph.

The travel length or length of a speed bump The length of speed humps or travel length
ranges between 0.3 to 1m. ranges from 3m to 12m.

Height normally ranges between 0.05 to Height is typically 0.05 to 0.12m.

0.15m.

Speed bumps control traffic to around 0 – 2 Speed humps control traffic to around 25 –
km/h 30 km/h.

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Fig. 2.4 Profile of Speed hump vs. Speed bump (Weber, 1998)

2.1.5 ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF SPEED BUMPS

1. ADVANTAGES
a) It reduces speed.
b) Speed and volume changes tend to remain over time.
c) It is a self-enforcing measure as it creates a visual impression, that speeding is not
allowed on this street.
d) It potentially reduces accident rates.
e) It is less controversial than some other traffic calming measures.
f) Gives a chance for pedestrians to cross the road.

2. DISADVANTAGES
a) May divert traffic to parallel residential streets; traffic gets diverted to other streets
so the problem just gets moved.
b) It requires striping and signage which some residents object to.
c) There is an increase in noise levels at the bump due to rapid deceleration and noise
of the vehicle going over the bump.
d) Large trucks and emergency vehicles residents usually report that they must pass
over them very slowly thus delaying assistance.
e) Cost of initial construction and then continued maintenance. (Metal bumps last
longer, however they damage trucks and emergency vehicles; plastic and rubber
bumps do not damage vehicles, however they must be replaced regularly.

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2.1.6 Effects of Speed Bumps on Vehicles
There is potential for speed bumps to damage the undercarriage of vehicles, particularly if
the vehicles are lowered. There are several methods that urban planning can be used to
mitigate any potential damage. These include:

a. Placement
Speed bumps should be placed on level roads as a change in incline can make the
bump functionally higher. Other considerations should include placement relative to
intersections, driveways, manholes, streetlights and curbs.
b. Material
Concrete, asphalt and metal are the most rigid of the material options and are the
most efficient at slowing traffic. However, concrete and asphalt can be difficult to
form into precise shapes and require supervision while drying to prevent graffiti.
They can cause damage to vehicle if not installed properly, weather conditions,
frequent use and age can also cause concrete and asphalt to crack or chip over time.
Rubber and plastic are much lighter than concrete, asphalt or metal and chaeaper too.
Both are resistant to sun moisture, and oil damage. They can be installed and
removed easily. Rubber is also more flexible causing less damage to vehicles and
can conform to the natural surface contours of the road and wont warp, crack or chip
over time.
c. Visibility
Drivers who are unable to see or anticipate speed bumps can be at risk if they over
speed. Signage, paint and reflective strips can be used to increase speed bump
visibility.

2.1.7 Warning signs to be located at speed bumps

A speed hump sign should be located directly beside a raised crosswalk facing traffic. If a
raised crosswalk is located on a one way street, a speed hump sign should be placed on
either side of the street facing traffic. The speed hump sign is necessary for a raised
intersection in the same manner, unless the intersection is stop sign or stop light controlled

13
in which case no sign is needed. Pedestrian crosswalk signs are necessary on either side of
the raised crosswalk. Solid white reflective pavement markings such as arrows should also
be included directly preceding raised crosswalks and intersections. No advance warning
signs are recommended for either of these traffic calming measures in order to reduce
redundancy and improve aesthetics. Fig.2.5. shows an image for proper warning signs on a
road with speed bumps.

Fig 2.5 an image showing the proper warning signs on a road with speed bumps
(Skene, 2008)

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2.1.8 Emergency Vehicles
Speed is a much needed factor in the case of emergency vehicles such as ambulances, fire
trucks, police cars etc. However speed bumps hinder them and in the case of an ambulance
may deliver unwanted jostling to the patient aboard it. This can be avoided with the
following:

1. Speed cushion configuration

Ambulances and fire trucks have wider axles than passenger vehicles. Speed humps can be
installed in configurations with cut-outs at designed widths to let emergency vehicles drive
through unimpeded.

2. Offset installation
Speed humps can be installed in a staggered formation between opposing lanes. During an
emergency, response vehicles can maintain higher speeds by swerving into oncoming lanes
to effectively drive around each hump.

2.1.9 Planning and Spacing of Speed bumps

To avoid impediments to emergency vehicles and general traffic mobility, speed humps
should only be placed on local roads and lanes. It should also not be placed on cul-de-sacs
and steep roads. Also collector and arterial roads especially transit, truck and major
emergency response routes should be avoided.
Speed bump installation in succession is very effective. For local roads, speed humps are
usually installed 137-229 metres apart, or 59-91 metres apart in lanes. Different
municipalities may have different guidelines for installation.
An equation was developed by the California Subcommittee of the California Traffic
Control Devices Committee developed to determine optimal spacing between speed humps;
Hs-0.5[2(v85)²-700] (2.1)
where:
Hs= optimal spacing between 0.0762 high speed bumps (metres)
v85= desired 85th percentile speed (metres per second) between speed bump

15
2.2 SPEED BUMP STANDARDS IN SELECTED COUNTRIES
Highway (Road bumps) Regulations in England and Wales

a. Nature, dimensions and location of road bumps

Subject to regulation 7, no road bump shall be constructed or maintained in a highway

unless–

(a) each face of it across the carriageway of the highway in which it is constructed is at right
angles to an imaginary line along the centre of that carriageway;

(b) it has a minimum length of 900mm measured parallel to an imaginary line along
the centre of that carriageway from the point where one face meets the surface of that
carriageway to the point where the other face meets the surface of that carriageway;

(c) the highest point on it is not less than 50mm nor more than 100mm
higher than an imaginary line parallel to the centre line of that carriageway connecting
the surface of that carriageway on one side of the road bump to the surface of that
carriageway on the other side of the road hump and passing vertically below that point;
and,
(d) no vertical face of any material forming part of that road bump exceeds 6 mm measured
vertically from top to bottom of that face.

(2) A road bump may be constructed and maintained in a highway so that an imaginary line
along the centre of the bump from one side of the road to the other is in the same position as
an imaginary line from one side of the road to the other along the centre of the pattern of
black and white stripes specified.

(3) As mentioned in regulation (2) above, no road bump shall be within the limits of a
zebra controlled area as defined in regulation 3(1) of the regulations mentioned in that
paragraph or within 30 m from the imaginary line along the centre of the pattern of stripes
mentioned in that paragraph.

16
(4) A road bump may be constructed and maintained in the highway so that an imaginary
line along the centre of the bump from one side of the road to the other is in the same
position as an imaginary line along the centre of the limits of the crossing from one side of
the road to the other as shown.

(5) As mentioned in regulation (4) above, no road bump shall be within the limits of a
“pelican” crossing as defined in regulation 3(1) of the regulations mentioned in that
paragraph or within 30m of any part of any such crossing.

(6) No road bump shall be constructed or maintained in a highway:

(a) on a railway level crossing or within 20m of any rail forming part of the railway
track at any such crossing;

(b) within 2m of any rail providing support and guidance for vehicles carried on
flanged wheels and running in a carriageway of that highway otherwise than at a railway
level crossing;

(c) under or within 25m of any part of a structure over a carriageway of that highway
any part of which is 6.5m or less above the surface of the carriageway; or,

(d) above or within 25m of any part of a bridge over which a carriageway of that
highway passes or any part of a tunnel, culvert or other similar structure which crosses
beneath a carriageway of that highway.

b. Lighting of road bumps

5. Subject to regulation 7 no road bump shall be constructed in any highway unless in that
highway there is lighting for that road hump which is–

(a) a system of street lighting furnished by at least three lamps lit by electricity and placed
so that not more than 38m separate any of the lamps from the next one to it; or,

(b) a system of street lighting complying with the British Standard for Road Lighting
published by the British Standards Institution under number BS 5489 or with an

17
equivalent standard or code of practice published by a national standards body or
equivalent body of any EEA State before 28th April 1999; or,

(c) lighting specially provided for the road bump.

c. Placing of traffic signs

6. Subject of regulation 7, where a road bump is constructed in a highway the highway

authority for that highway shall cause to be placed and thereafter cause to be maintained
appropriate traffic signs as prescribed in the Traffic Signs Regulations in such positions (if
such
positions are not prescribed in the Traffic Signs Regulations) as the authority may consider
requisite for the purpose of providing adequate warning of the presence of a road bump or
series of road bumps to persons using the highway.

7. Where a road bump is placed in a highway which is in 32 kilometre per hour zone, the
provisions of regulations 4(1) (a), 4(6) (c) and (d), 5 and 6 shall not apply.

Australian Standard for Speed Bump

The Australian standard which regulates the design and use of speed bump for use in
off-street parking in Australia is ‘AS2890.1:2004 parking facilities’. AS2890.1 identifies
four main criteria in the design of “type 2’ speed bumps.

1) Height: Must be between 75mm and 105mm.

2) Cross section: Must be flat on top. (Not round)

3) Ramp angle: Must have a ramp angle 2:1

4) Markings: Must have alternating parallel yellow or white stripes 250mm wide.

TYPE 2

Appropriate for use in relatively confined areas or covered and multi storey car parks
where it is desired to further check the speed of vehicles mostly travelling at 30km/

18
 or less. Spacing where required to control speeds continuously along a roadway should be
about 50 m, speed bump should be located clear of intersections and curved road ways.

Speed bumps shall not impede pedestrian or wheelchair traffic on any accessible travel path
provided for people with disabilities.

NOTE: An accessible path of travel needs to be a minimum of 1m wide.

Guideline for Speed Bump Installation in Santa Ana, California, USA

Conditions for street geometry and physical characteristics that are followed afor bump
installation in Santa Ana are:

1. Street is a residential street with no more than one lane in each direction.
2. Street is neither a primary fire access route nor a transit route.
3. The street is a through street, at least 152 metres long and uninterrupted by stop sign
or traffic signal
4. The posted or prima facie speed limit is 40 kmph.
5. The 85th percentile speed is > 56 kmph.
6. Adequate visibility can be provided at all speed hump locations.
7. Daily traffic on the street segment is less than or equal to 3500 vehicles per day.

2.3 STANDARD USED FOR THE STUDY

Standards for speed bump design which were used in the study include; The Institute of
Transportation Engineers (ITE), Highways regulations of England and Wales, Australian
standard for type 2 speed humps and Santa Ana, California, USA are shown in table 2.2.

Table 2.2: Table of selected standard (Sources: ITE: Traffic Engineering Council
Committee; Highway (Road bumps) Regulations in England and Wales, (1999);
Australian standard for type 2 speed bumps, (2002) and Santa Ana, California, USA,
(2004).)

Standard Height (m) Length (m) Spacing (m) Distance Intended

from speed limit

19
 intersection (km/hr)

ITE 0.075-0.15 0.3-0.9 - - 24.14-40.23

Australia 0.075-0.105 - 50 - 30
type 2 bumps

England and 0.05-0.10 0.9 40-100 30 -

Wales

Santa Ana, 0.78 0.36 - 50-80 25-35

California,
USA

2.4 REVIEW OF RELATED STUDIES

2.4.1. Review of Work done in Developed Countries

Gonzalo-Orden et al (2018) evaluated the effects of traffic calming measures in different
urban areas in Spain. Field measures were done to show the effectiveness of some of the
traffic calming measures in reducing speed of the vehicles on various street sections. In
general the devices were shown to be effective. Raised crosswalks (vertical deflections)
work as a punctual traffic calming measure. Motorist speed down when passing it due to the
physical obstacle that it represents and after it they do not maintain the slow speed.
However, a positive effect has been observed when situated at the border of the urban area.
Drivers seem to understand that they have entered an urban area and do not maintain speeds
of non-urban areas. The line narrowing is a measure that tends to present a memory effect
along its entire length. Radar speed cameras have been proved to be a punctual traffic
calming measure since drivers only reduce their speed at the point of the radar. Previous
speeds (V50 and V85) are controlled (but over the speed limit) but after the radar, they
speed up as they feel that no more radar are placed (even hidden radars).
As traffic calming measures act punctually on vehicles’ speed and do not imply a memory

20
effect on drivers, they must be combined adequately in order to assure a traffic calmed zone
in urban area.

Antic et al (2013) carried out research to see the effect of speed bump heights to decrease
vehicle speeds. This work showed the influence of speed bumps of different heights (3, 5
and 7 cm) to the decrease of vehicle speed. Speed measurements had been done before
speed bumps were installed, 1 day and 1 month after the installation. A comparison
was made of mean, 50th percentile and 85th percentile speed, before and after speed bumps
setting. It has been shown that there is a significant speed decrease on the places where
speed bumps were set, compared to the period before setting. Based on the research results,
it was suggested that on the locations where vulnerable road users are extremely
endangered, speed bumps 5 and 7 cm high should be set, whereas at less endangered
locations speed bumps 3 cm high could be set. Also, it has been shown
that the effects of speed bumps on speed decrease are enduring, because there has not been
any significant deviation in vehicle speeds neither 1 day nor 1 month after speed bumps
setting.

Weber (1998) carried out a study to help develop geometric design standards for
speed humps in Canada. Off-road tests were carried out on several speed humps
constructed out of wood using two automobiles and a transit bus. Accelerations
were recorded on a test subject and compared to discomfort criteria determined by recording
speeds over existing humps. A multiple regression mode1 was formulated to estimate the
accelerations measured and predicted additional accelerations. Optimal designs were
formulated that produced acceleration levels equal to the discomfort criteria. On streets
expected to carry automobile traffic only, 5.2 m by 100 mm, 7.9 m by100 mm and 9.1 m by
75 mm speed humps were recommended for desired speeds of 30, 40 and 50 km/h
respectively. On bus routes, 6.1 m by 100 mm and8.8 m by 100 mm speed humps were
recommended for desired speeds of 30 and 40km/h respectively.

2.4.2. Review of Work done in African Countries

21
In Egypt research was carried out about the effect of speed hump characteristics on
pavement condition by Talaat Ali Abdel-Wahed and Ibrahim Hassan Hashim (2017). This
paper presents a case study applied to collect and analyze visual inspection data for the
reason of evaluating the impact of speed humps on pavement condition on intercity rural
roads. Pavement condition index (PCI), in road sections, near speed humps in the two
directions of travel were calculated from the visual inspection measurements. The
characteristics of each speed hump (width, height, and distance from preceding hump) were
measured. Using statistical analyses, the correlations between the pavement conditions and
hump characteristics were examined. Regression analysis models were developed to
represent the relationships between pavement conditions and hump characteristics.

Study had been carried out by Sayed., et al 2018 to examine the impact of speed hump
characteristics, obtain a statistical model to examine speed hump characteristics on hump
crossing vehicle speed for different vehicle types. It also involved developing the best
models in graphical forms that can be useful for highway and traffic practitioners to design
speed hump geometric dimension for different speed control limits for different types of
roads and vehicles. This paper also presented field data that had been analyzed in order to
evaluate the effect of speed hump characteristics on hump crossing vehicle speed.

2.4.3 Review of Work done in Nigeria

A study to map out the speed bumps within Afikpo using GIS as a tool with a view to
providing a guide (especially to visitors) on best alternative route to adopt was done by
Moses and Fortunatus. (2017). To produce the map, the coordinates of the speed bumps
acquired using a handheld global positioning system (GPS) receiver were plotted on a geo
referenced map covering the study area using ArcGIS 9.3 software. The result of this study
revealed that speed bumps within Afikpo have their shapes, sizes, and height to be too
inconsistent. The map produced will therefore be a useful guide to the populace (especially
visitors) informing them of spots to expect speed bumps (and therefore to be more careful
especially as there are no traffic signs around) and also, routes to avoid in cases of
emergencies so as not to increase the response time of emergency. There is therefore the
need for regular and increased education on the variety of speed bumps, their roles,

22
standards, and rational for their installation in addition to the need to shun illegal installation
or use of sub-standard or alternate materials such as woods by communities.

Bello-Salau et al (2018) carried out a study in the development of road surface condition
monitoring and database system. This paper proposed a road surface condition monitoring
device. The design features the use of a programmed accelerometer sensor deployed to
respond to vehicular vibrations as a function of the vehicle's acceleration due to gravity (g-
force). Furthermore, a database was created and hosted online to store the traces acquired
over the different test surfaces. The test results show that the proposed system successfully
sensed the utilized road surfaces, and effectively logged the acquired traces into the created
database.

2.5 ADVANCEMENTS IN SPEED BUMP TECHNOLOGY

2.5.1. Actibump

The Actibump system is an intelligent traffic safety system which was invented and being
distributed by Edeva AB. It increases road safety and accessibility while lowering emissions
and noise. Actibump leaves the road level for vehicles driving at, or under, the legal speed
limit. Speeding vehicles activate a hatch, integrated into the road, which lowers a few centim
creating an inverted speed bump. The actibump system has been installed in a number of
places, for example in Linköping, Uppsala, Malmö, Västerås, Helsingborg and on the
Öresund bridge, in Sweden. At the end of 2017 four Actibumps were installed at Curtin
University in Perth, Australia. In 2018 the first two Actibumps in the road network of the
Swedish Transport Administration were started, on E65 in Ystad, Sweden. There are
currently over 50 actibump units active in the world. Actibump can be installed in heavily
traffic roads where the speed limit is 5-60 km/h. The system can also be used in logistic
center, toll stations or in airports etc. The image of actibump activating for a speeding
vehicle is presented in fig 2.6.

23
Fig 2.6: Image showing actibump activating for a speeding vehicle. (Edeva.com)

2.5.2. Smartbump

Smartbump is a prototype device which was invented by the smart bump company. The
vision was to create a speed bump without all of the drawbacks but all of its advantages. It
allows emergency vehicles pass over the Speed Bump with higher speeds;the speed limit can
be changed dynamically during the dayetc.The final product of the company is an intelligent
speed bump, or a ‘Smart Bump’, a speed bump that will behave as the traditional speed
bumps for the fast drivers, but will retract for the slow ones significantly improving the
driving experience.

The concept and the design have been finalized; few prototypes have been created and tested
on a community street. The company has been working hard to find suitable partners
network and to establishing the production of the first series. Fig. 2.7 shows the image of a
smart bump

24
Fig 2.7 a smart bump (smartbump.com)

2.6 UTM Geo map

This is a complete, simple, easy to use and free application for land surveying, topography,
GIS. It is suitable for civil engineering, geology and other disciplines related to maps,
coordinates, location, address and spatial analysis. It can be used as a tool in determining
position, coordinates, location and address, area and distance measurement, simple spatial
analysis such as Overlay, Buffering, TIN (Triangulated Irregular Network) / Delaunay
Triangulation, Voronoi Diagram, Convex Hull, Smoothing etc.

Some of its functions include:

Map Coordinates: Can be used to obtain Latitude Longitude, UTM, MGRS (WGS84) and
other CRS (using EPSG codes) in real time, register points complete with coordinate data,
time taken, notes/labels, elevation (premium), addresses, photos etc. This module can also
display TIN, Voronoi Diagrams and Buffers in real time from existing points.

Offline GPS: Used to get coordinates in an offline state (without internet access), your cell
phone will function like a Handheld GPS to get Latitude Longitude coordinates, UTM,
MGRS, Elevation (ellipsoid), MSL Elevation (EGM96), accuracy, satellite and other useful
information. Coordinates data can be stored in an unlimited number inside your databases,
given notes / labels, photos or exported into CSV, KML, DXF and GPX formats.

Coord. Converter: To convert coordinates manually from Latitude Longitude to UTM and
MGRS and vice versa. It can also be used to convert addresses to coordinates (Geocoding,
requires an internet connection). Some conversion is supported for batch conversion.

Area/Distance: Used to measure distance and area (support units: m, km, ft, miles, hectare,
acre), register lines / polygons, make polygons automatically from measure points, create
buffers from lines / polygons, overlay etc. Line / polygon data can be stored in unlimited
number inside your database, displayed on a map, added photos and labels or exported to

25
CSV, KML or DXF format. It is equipped with spatial editing algorithms such as Snap
Nearest, Delete Object Inside / Outside Polygon, Smoothing, Split Polygon by Line, and so
on. C

CHAPTER 3

3.0 METHODOLOGY

3.1 Study Area

The study area was Oredo Local Government area and it is located in Benin City, Edo State,
Nigeria. It has an area of 249 km² and a population of 374,671 at the 2006 census.
The postal code of the area is 300. Oredo is home to many including the Oba
OfBenin, OmoNobaNedoUkuAkpolokpolo Oba Erediauwa, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion the
Esama of Benin Kingdom, and other prominent princes and chiefs (http://igbinedion.net).

The selection of the study roads were determined by taking into consideration the
availability of considerable speed bumps having diversity in their characteristics.

26
3.1.1 Population and Sample
The population for the study consisted of drivers’ within Oredo LGA, Edo State, Nigeria.
Using pure random procedure, the research selected 100 vehicle drivers as a sample, the
respondents include; commercial vehicle drivers, private vehicle drivers, company vehicle
drivers and government vehicle drivers were given questionnaires.

The selection of study roads were determined taking into consideration the availability of
considerable speed bumps having diversity in their characteristics. There were 13 speed
bumps in the selected routes and all these bumps were made of asphalt and having either
convex or flat shapes with variable heights and widths. A satellite image showing the study
area is given in fig. 3.1.

Fig. 3.1 Digital Map of the Study Area (Source: Google Earth)

3.2 Data acquisition

The geometric parameters of the speed bump such as; spacing, length, width, height and
distance to intersection were measured and recorded. The characteristics of the speed bumps
such as the material, signage were also noted. The values gotten were then compared with

27
standard of developed countries. In addition to these parameters, other subjective
information such as the suitability, adequacy and functionality of the speed bumps were
obtained from the questionnaire.

3.2.1 Approach and Data Collection

Using pure random procedure, the research selected 100 vehicle drivers as a sample. The
respondents include; Private vehicle drivers, Commercial vehicle drivers and Government
vehicle drivers who were all given questionnaires.

100 responses were received from the various groups of motorists. Of those, 20 were from
Osuma road, 43 from Zabayor road and 37 from Ekpenede road. In total, 71 were male and
29 were female. The ages ranged fell 26 and 66. Information regarding the suitability,
adequacy and functionality were obtained from the questionnaire.

3.3 Instrumentation
The data for research purposes were collected using:

1. Steel tape for taking geometric measurements.

2. GPS system for taking coordinates of the bumps.
3. Camera for taking photos of the bumps.
4. UTM Geo map software for converting from WGS84 SYSTEM TO UTM

A steel tape was used in getting the accurate dimensions of the speed bump parameters and a
digital camera was used in the field to capture visual data. A topographic map covering the
study area was obtained from Google maps to serve as the base map. A Handheld Global
positioning System (GPS) receiver was used to acquire the position coordinates of the speed
bumps and also the coordinates of some points of interest were also acquired for the purpose
of updating the map.

UTM Geo map software was used for converting from WGS84 to UTM (Universal
Transverse Mercator) i.e., Northings and Eastings.

Steps in UTM Geo map software to convert WGD84 to UTM format

1. Downloading the UTM Geo map app

28
 a. Download and install UTM Geo map app from the play store.
b. Open the application
2. Using the Geo map converter
a. In the app there a list of icons
b. Select the icon Coord. Converter and choose the units to change into (in this case
Lat Long(DD) to UTM WGS 84
c. Input the coordinates to be converted.

The image of the UTN Geo Map is shown in fig. 3.2.

Fig 3.2 an image of the UTM Geo map app

29
 CHAPTER 4

4.0 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

4.1 Results
The geometric data which were collected in this study are presented in the tables below.

4.1.1 Geometric Parameters

The following sets of geometric parameters were acquired for each bump at the selected
location.

The parameters of speed bump obtained along Osuma road, Zabayor road and Ekpenede
road in Oredo LGA are presented in table 4.1, table 4.2 and table 4.3 respectively.

Table 4.1: Parameters of speed bump obtained along Osuma road, Oredo LGA
Bumps Height from Width Length of the Width of Standard
the pavement speed bump the road
(m) (Australia, England
(m) (m) (m)
and Wales, USA)

Height Length
(m) (m)

SBOR 0.07 6.8 0.38 6.8 0.075- 0.3-0.9

1 0.105

SBOR 0.10 6.8 0.38 6.8 0.075- 0.3-0.9

2 0.105

SBOR 0.70 6.8 0.38 6.8 0.075- 0.3-0.9

30
3 0.105

Table 4.2: Parameters of speed bump obtained along Zabayor road, Oredo LGA
Bumps Height of the Widt Length of the Width of the Standard
pavement (m) h (m) speed bump road (m)
(Australia,
(m)
England and
Wales, USA)

Height Length
(m) (m)

SBZR1 0.06 6.8 0.63 6.8 0.075- 0.3-0.9

0.105

SBZR2 0.08 6.8 0.63 6.8 0.075- 0.3-0.9

0.105

SBZR3 0.11 6.8 0.63 6.8 0.075- 0.3-0.9

0.105

SBZR4 0.07 6.8 0.63 6.8 0.075- 0.3-0.9

0.105

SBZR5 0.06 6.8 0.63 6.8 0.075- 0.3-0.9

0.105

31
 Table 4.3: Parameters of speed bump obtained along Ekpenede road, Oredo LGA
Bumps Height from the Width Length of the Width of Standard
pavement (m) (m) speed bump road (m) (Australia,
(m) England and
Wales, USA)

Heigh Length
t (m) (m)

SBER1 0.10 4.15 0.70 4.5 0.075- 0.3-0.9

0.105

SBER2 0.08 4.15 0.68 4.5 0.075- 0.3-0.9

0.105

SBER3 0.08 4.15 0.68 4.5 0.075- 0.3-0.9

0.105

SBER4 0.08 4.15 0.68 4.5 0.075- 0.3-0.9

0.105

SBER5 0.08 4.15 0.68 4.5 0.075- 0.3-

0.105 0.9

32
 4.1.2 GPS Coordinates
The UTM coordinates of speed bumps at the selected location along Osuma road Zabayor
road and Ekpenede road in Oredo LGA are shown in table 4.4, table 4.5 and table 4.6
respectively.

Table 4.4: UTM Coordinates of speed bumps along Osuma Road, Oredo LGA
Bumps Latitude Longitude Eastings Northings Course
(m) (m)

SBOR1 6.33070046105535 5.61154840428596 789036.725 700326.922 SBOR1-

6 SBOR2

SBOR2 6.392438055163665 5.61243350573454 788938.272 700417.858 SBOR2-

SB0R3

SBOR3 6.330695011610276 5.61077167027418 788851.929 700486.582 SBOR3-

7 SBOR4

Table 4.5: UTM Coordinates of speed bumps along Zabayor Road, Oredo LGA
Bumps Latitude Longitude Eastings Northings Course
(m) (m)

SBZR1 6.33502336690231 5.613027088601563 789099.224 700966.799 SBZR1-

5 SBZR2

33
SBZR2 6.33434260910745 5.612566616544012 789048.623 700891.212 SBZR2-
SBZR3

SBZR3 6.33592660863690 5.613612317307077 789163.513 701067.075 SBZR3-

5 SBZR4

SBZR4 6.33641984478254 5.613969339756185 789202.765 701121.854 SBZR4-

4 SBZR5

SBZR5 6.33659532964329 5.614235396090935 789232.123 701141.421 SBZR5-

6 SBZR6

Table 4.6: UTM Coordinates of speed bumps along Ekpenede Road, Oredo LGA
Bumps Latitude Longitude Eastings Northings Course
(m) (m)

SBER1 6.33371988887364 5.61790470038646 789639.968 700825.282 SBER1-

6 SBER2

SBER2 6.33396995146085 5.618033307591266 789654.067 700853.025 SBER2-

6 SBER3

SBER3 6.33439830900983 5.618293321873173 789682.615 700900.571 SBER3-

0 SBER4

SBER4 6.33454154933779 5.618423016608997 789696.894 700916.494 SBER4-

8 SBER5

SBER5 6.33480492629448 5.618536652727733 789709.328 700945.702 SBER5-

7 SBER6

34
 4.1.3 Materials used, existing conditions and presence of signage and markings
The material used, the existing conditions and presence of signage and markings of the
speed bumps along Osuma road, Zabayor road, and Ekpenede road are presented in table
4.7, table 4.8 and table 4.9 respectively.

Table 4.7: Materials used, existing conditions and presence of signage and markings of
speed bumps along Osuma road, Oredo LGA
Bumps Materials Used Existing conditions Presence of
signage and
markings

SBOR1 Asphalt Good None

SBOR2 Asphalt Good None

SBOR3 Asphalt Good None

Table 4.8: Materials used, existing conditions and presence of signage and markings of
speed bumps along Zabayor road, Oredo LGA
Bumps Materials Used Existing conditions Presence of signage
and markings

SBZR1 Asphalt Good None

SBZR2 Asphalt Good None

SBZR3 Asphalt Pd None

SBZR4 Asphalt Pd None

SBZR5 Asphalt Pd None

35
 Table 4.9: Materials used, existing conditions and presence of signage and markings of
speed bumps along Ekpenede road, Oredo LGA
Bumps Materials Used Existing conditions Presence of signage
and markings

SBER1 Asphalt Pd None

SBER2 Asphalt Pd None

SBER3 Concrete Pd None

SBER4 Concrete Good None

SBER5 Concrete Pd None

4.1.4 Spacing and distance to nearest road intersection

The spacing and distance to nearest rias intersection of speed bumps along Osuma road,
Zabayor road and Ekpenede road are shown in table 4.10, table 4.11 and table 4.12
respectively.

Table 4.10: Spacing and distance to road intersection of speed bumps along Osuma
Road, Oredo LGA
Bumps Distance (m) Standard (m) (England
and Wales, Australia,

36
 USA)

JUNC-SBOR1 36.83 30-80

SBOR1-SBOR2 70.47 50-100

SBOR2-SBOR3 104.98 50-100

Table 4.11: Spacing and distance to road intersection of speed bumps along Zabayor
Road, Oredo LGA
Bumps Distance (m) Standard (m) (England
and Wales, Australia,
USA)

JUNC-SBZR1 56.632 30-80

SBZ1-SBZR2 92.317 50-100

SBZR2-JUNC 32.374 30-80

SBZR2-SBZR3 121.034 50-100

JUNC-SBZR3 88.567 30-80

SBZR3-SBZR4 48.341 50-100

SBZR4-SBZR5 51.381 50-100

Table 4.12: Spacing and distance to road intersection of speed bumps along Ekpenede
Road, Oredo LGA
Bumps Distance (m) Standard (m) (England
and Wales, Australia,
USA)

JUNC-SBER1 15.132 30-80

37
SBER1-SBER2 33.494 50-100

SBER2-SBER3 56.793 50-100

SBER3-SBER4 20.248 50-100

SBER4-SBER5 22.139 50-100

Table 4.13: Attributes of speed bump in the study area using frequency
The attributes of speed bumps in the study area using frequency, the reasons for bump
construction and the common human activities in the selected area and presented in table
4.13, table 4.14 and table 4.15 respectively.

S/N Variable Used Frequency Percentage

(%)

1 Materials Used

i. Asphalt 10 76.92

ii. Concrete 3 23.08

iii. Rubber

iv. Wood

2 Spacing between bumps

< 50m 4 40

50m-100m 4 40

>100m 2 20

3 Spacing between Intersections

38
 <30m 1 25

30-80m 2 50

>80m 1 25

4 Height

<0.075m 5 38.46

0.75m-0.105m 6 46.15

>0.105m 2 15.39

5 Length

<0.3m - -

0.3m-0.9m 13 100

>0.9m - -

6 Existing Condition

Good 6 46.15

Partial deterioration 7 54.85

Full deterioration -

39
 Table 4.14: Reason for bump construction
S/N Reason for bump construction Osuma Zabayor Ekpenede

Yes No Yes No Yes No

14 6 30 13 15 22
a. Over speeding

9 11 29 14 24 13
b. Obstruction off road by pedestrians

12 8 31 12 29 8
c. Obstruction of roads by parked vehicles

7 11 15 28 12 25
d. Dangerous overtaking

4 15 8 36 7 30
e. Presence of sharp bends and undulation

2 18 30 13 7 30
f. Road intersection

Table 4.15: Common human activities in the selected area

S/N Osuma Zabayor Ekpenede

Yes No Yes No Yes No

40
 5 15 9 24 3 34
a. Establishment of school

9 11 33 10 27 10
b. Establishment of church

16 4 17 26 22 15
c. Residential buildings along roadside

7 13 13 30 32 7
d. Trading and hawking

8 12 15 28 35 2
e. Establishment of market along the road

4 16 29 14 29 8
f. Business establishment along the road

The environmental impact of bump erection, miscellaneous questions and motorist

perception of speed bump in the study are shown in table 4.16, table 4.17 and table 4.18
respectively.

Table 4.16: Environmental impact of bump erection

S/N Osuma Zabayor Ekpenede

Yes No Yes No Yes No

6 14 12 31 6 31
a. Destruction of road

41
 9 11 17 26 13 24
b. Dumping of refuse in drains

2 18 14 29 15 22
c. Disturbance by touts

13 7 30 13 27 10
d. Air pollution

15 5 31 13 29 8
e. Noise pollution

9 11 15 28 11 26
f. Traffic congestion

Table 4.17: Miscellaneous questions

S/ Miscellaneous Very High High Low Very Low
N questions
OR ZR ER OR ZR ER OR ZR ER OR ZR ER

1. Necessity of 4 13 9 10 20 15 4 9 8 2 11 5
speed bumps

2. 7 12 7 5 20 17 6 5 5 2 6 8
The negative
effect of
speed bumps
on vehicles

42
 3. 8 9 8 7 15 5 4 10 15 6 10 9
The number
of speed
bumps

Table 4.18: Motorist perception of speed bump in the study area using frequency
S/N Variable Used Frequency Percentage (%)

OR ZR ER OR ZR ER

1 Reason for bump construction

Over speeding 14 30 15 70 69.77 40.54

Obstruction of road by pedestrians 9 29 24 45 67.44 64.87

Obstruction of roads by parked vehicles 12 31 29 60 72.09 78.38

Dangerous overtaking 7 15 12 35 34.88 32.43

Presence of sharp road bends or undulations 4 8 7 20 18.6 18.92

Road intersection 2 30 7 10 69.77 18.92

2 Common human activities

Establishment of school 5 9 3 25 19.15 8.11

Establishment of church 9 33 27 45 70.12 72.97

Trading and Hawking 16 13 32 80 27.66 86.49

43
 Construction along roadside 14 17 22 70 36.17 59.46

Establishment of market along the road 8 15 35 40 31.91 94.60

3 Environmental impact of bump erection

Destruction of road 6 12 6 30 27.91 16.22

Dumping of refuse in drains 9 17 13 45 39.54 45.95

Disturbance by touts 2 14 15 10 32.56 40.55

Air pollution 13 30 27 65 69.77 72.97

Noise pollution 15 31 29 75 72.09 78.38

Traffic congestion 9 15 11 45 34.88 29.73

4.2 Discussion of Results

From the study, a total number of 13 bumps were captured with Osuma having 3 while both
Ekpenede and Zabayor having 5 each as listed in table 4.1, table 4.2 and table 4.3. From the
assessment of the speed bumps, none were fully in tandem with any of the selected
standards (England and Wales. Australia and USA) used for the study. The bumps found at
Osuma and Zabayor road were the same width as the road while those found at Ekpenede
were not the same. While the length of the bumps in each road fell between the range of the
selected standards, there were inconsistencies in the height of the bumps found in both
Zabayor and Ekpenede roads due to the fact that some of the bumps had been partially
destroyed and therefore caused the degradation of the road as listed in table 4.7 and table
4.8. In the case of Ekpenede road 3 of the bumps were constructed by nonprofessionals with
concrete to restore some normalcy to the speeding road users as the road was in a bad state.
It was noted that there were no street signs at each routes or markings on the speed bumps
on the road to indicate their presence to motorists as shown in Table 4.7, 4.8 and 4.9.

44
Ekpenede road had the closest spacing table between bumps and intersections as shown in
Table 4.12, In the case of Zabayor road which had an intersection between the whole lengths
of the road it was discovered that was a junction between bump 2 and 3. The distance
between the 2nd speed bump and distance between the junction and the 3 rd speed bump were
above the selected standard as shown in Table 4.11. Also it was discovered that most of the
speed bumps used were in a poor state. However data from Table 4.1 shows that the bumps
found at Osuma road mostly conformed to international standards as the bumps which were
made from asphalt were in good condition except for the spacing between bump 2 and 3
which was 104.98m and was above the standard range 50-100m as shown in table 4.10.

Table 4.14 shows that over speeding, obstruction of roads by parked vehicles were the major
reasons for construction of speed bumps at Osuma road while at Zabayor road the reasons
were over speeding, obstruction of roads by pedestrians, obstruction of roads by parked
vehicles and road intersections. In Ekpenede road obstruction of roads by pedestrians and
parked vehicles were the reasons considered.

Table 4.15 shows that churches, businesses were the activities present at Zabayor road while
at Ekpenede road the major human activities going on were market along the road side,
trading and hawking, establishment of churches and businesses. At Osuma street the
presence of residential buildings was the major human activity at this location.

From Table 4.16 it was gotten that all routes were affected by the noise and air pollution
which accompanies the presence of the speed bumps. It could also be deduced from Table
4.17 that the need for speed bumps in Osuma was low while it was high at Zabayor and
Ekpenede roads.

Table 4.13 summarizes the attributes of speed bumps in the study area of Oredo LGA. The
total number of speed bumps includes 10 made of asphalt and 3 made of concrete which
were not in line with international standards. Out of these, 7 bumps had less than 50m
spacing, indicating a need for better spacing adherence, while 4 were within the acceptable
range, and 2 exceeded it, showing some compliance with spacing standards. Near
intersections, 2 bumps met international standards, while one was above 80m and another
was below 30m, highlighting inconsistency in placement. Regarding height, 5 bumps were

45
below international standards, indicating inadequate height, 6 were within the acceptable
range, and 2 were above it, showing a mix of compliance levels. All bumps met the
international length standards, suggesting adequacy in this aspect. In terms of condition, 6
bumps were in good condition; particularly Osuma road where all criteria were in line with
international standards whereas 7 were partially destroyed or deteriorating( 3 in Zabayor and
4 in Ekpenede road) indicating a need for maintenance. This analysis reveals a significant
need for speed bumps in Oredo LGA, differentiating between those adequately meeting
international standards and those that do not. It helps assess their adequacy, functionality,
and the materials used, verifying them against international standards.

46
 CHAPTER 5

5.0 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

5.1 Conclusion
From the results gotten we can conclude that the speed bumps did not meet all requirements
to be to stand along international standards as there was no uniformity of the speed bump
geometric parameters such as; some of the bumps located within the selected routes did not
meet the height recommendation of international standard. It was also recorded that some of
the speed bumps were not adequately spaced between each other and the intersections found
at the roads. It was also noted from public opinion that the presence of speed bumps in a
route was unwanted while for the case of others it was needed.

The work done was to determine the adequacy and functionality of the speed bumps within
selected routes in Oredo local government area. 3 routes were selected which were Osuma,
Zabayor and Ekpenede roads. The coordinates were gotten with the aid of a GPS and the
coordinates were converted to UTM with the aid of an android app called UTM Geo map.

The geometric parameters of the bumps which include; height, length and width of the bump
were also measured and recorded. Questionnaires were given out to determine the adequacy,
functionality and state of the speed bump within the selected routes.

It was noted from the obtained results that there was some discrepancies between the speed
bump constructed and those of international standard. It was noted that some of the
geometric parameters of bumps in some of the routes such as height were not up to the
international standard. The spacing between each bumps and the distance to intersection
were not uniform and there was no presence of signage indicating speed bumps along the
selected routes.

The questionnaire also gave motorist opinion as to the presence of the speed bump within
the area and in all routes, the presence of speed bumps was deemed necessary. It also gave
an update as to the state of the bumps in the region as it was seen that some had deteriorated.

47
5.2 Recommendations
Based on the research conducted, developing region-specific standards for speed bumps
should be recommended, given their cost-effectiveness and simplicity in traffic calming.
Establishing appropriate standards will ensure the use of suitable materials and certified
geometric specifications, enhancing their effectiveness in deterring speeding. Additionally,
this research can aid in creating databases by capturing the coordinates of these traffic
calming measures, facilitating the monitoring and maintenance of speed bumps. This work
will not only save lives but also enhance knowledge and skills in the Nigerian highway
transportation sector, contributing valuable insights to the field.

48
 REFERENCES
Abdel-Wahed, T.A. and Hashim, I.H. (2017). “Effect of speed humps characteristics on
pavement condition”. Journal of Traffic and Transportation Engineering (English Edition),
4.1, pp 103–110.

Assum, T. (1998). “Road Safety in Africa: Appraisal of Road Safety Initiatives in Five
African Countries. Sub-Saharan Africa Transport Pol-icy Program, The World Bank and
Economic Commission for Africa SSATP”. Working paper No. 33. Washington. DC: World
Bank.

Australian Standard for Type 2 Speed HumpAS2890.1:2004 parking facilities

Boris, A., Dalibor, P., Milan, V. and Krsto, L. (2013). “The Influence of Speed Bumps
Heights to the Decrease of the Vehicle Speed – Belgrade Experience.” Safety Science 57, pp
303–312. doi: 10.1016/j.ssci.2013.03.008.

Chen, G. (2010). “Road Traffic Safety in African Countries – Status, Trend, Contributing
Factors, Counter Measures and Challenges”, International Journal of Injury Control and
Safety Promotion, Vol 17, No 4, pp 247 – 255.

Cline, E. (2013). “Design of Speed Humps . . . Or, “The Kinder, Gentler Speed Hump.”
Presented at the 45th California Symposium on Transportation Issues, May 12-14,
California.

Emakoji, M. A. and Azubuike, F.A. (2017). “The Use of GIS in the Spatial Distribution of
Speed Bumps within Afikpo”, Journal of Geography, Environment and Earth Science
International, Article no. JGEESI.3648612 Vol 12, No 1: pp 1-7.

Ewing, R. (1999). Traffic Calming: State of the Practice. FHWA-RD-99e135. Institute of

Transportation Engineers (ITE), Washington DC.

Faheem, H. (2011).” Effectiveness of using cat-eye reflectors as warning and traffic calming
devices in local roads and highways” In 3rd International Conference on Road Safety
and Simulation, Indianapolis, 2011.

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Gonzalo-Orden, H., Pérez-Acebo, H., Linares, U.A., and Rojo, A.M. (2018).“Effects of
traffic calming measures in different urban areas”, XIII Conference on Transport
Engineering, CIT2018. Elsevier Ltd.

Highways, England and Wales. The highways (road humps) regulations. Statutory
Instruments;1999.Available:http://www.joincrash.com/files/Road%20Humps
%20Regulations%201999-1025.pdf (Accessed July 19 2019)

Jacobs, G. and Aeron-Thomas, A. (2000). “Africa road safety review final report.”
Washington, DC: US Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration.

Lagarde, E. (2007). “Road Traffic Injury is an Escalating Burden in Africa and Deserves
Proportionate Research”.

Nantulya, V.M. and Reich, M.R. (2002). “The Neglected Epidemic: Road Traffic Injuries in
Developing Countries”. BMJ, 324, 1139-1141.

Ojo, I.C., Ojo, F.K. and Bankole, I.E. (2015) “Effect of bumps installation on Nigerian
highway”.International Journal of Engineering Innovation and Research. ; Vol 4, No 3.

Onyemachi, N.O.C. and Ofoma U.R. (2017) “Road accidents effect on mortality rate”,
Medical Health Science Research Journal, 2016 Jul- Aug; Vol 6, No 4, pp 199-204

Sayed, S., Amal A. L. and Mohamed H. Z. Public Evaluation of Speed Humps Performance
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Bello-Salau, H., Aibinu, A.M., Onumanyi, A. J., Ahunsi1, S., Onwuka, E.N. and Dukiya,
J.J. (2018). “Development of a Road Surface Condition Monitoring and Database System”,

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51
 APPENDIX A
Questionnaire Used for the Study

I am a final year student from the University of Benin, Department of Civil Engineering
carrying out a research on “The Adequacy and Functionality of Speed Bumps of selected
routes within Oredo L.G.A”. This research is an academic exercise in partial fulfillment for
the award of Bachelor of Civil Engineering degree.

This questionnaire is entirely confidential and for academic purposes only.

Section A

Factors considered for erection of bumps on the road

Yes No

a. Overspeeding

b. Obstruction off road by pedestrians

c. Obstruction of roads by parked vehicles

d. Dangerous overtaking

e. Presence of sharp bends and undulation

f. Road intersection

52
 Section B

Common human activities in selected area

Yes No

a. Establishment of school

b. Establishment of church

c. Residential buildings along roadside

d. Trading and hawking

e. Establishment of market along the road

Section C
1. Rate of occurrence of accidents after speed bump erection ?
a. (a)Very high (b) high (c) low (d) very low
2. Rates of traffic flow after speed bump erection?
(a) Very high (b) high (c) low (d) very low
3. The negative effect of speed bumps
(a) Very high (b) high (c) low (d) very low
4. The number of speed bumps
(a) Very high (b) high (c) low (d) very low
5. The state of the speed bumps
(a) excellent (b) good (b) bad (d) poor

53
Section D

The environmental impact of bump erection

Yes No

a. Destruction of road

b. Dumping of refuse in drains

c. Disturbance by touts

d. Air pollution

e. Noise pollution

f. Traffic congestion

54
 APPENDIX B

Photographic Images of the Study Area during Field Measurement

Image of student taking length of speed bump at Ekpenede road

Image of speed bump at Osuma road

55
Student measuring height of bump at Zabayor street

56
Bump along Zabayor road.

Measurement of geometric parameters of bump along Ekpenede road.

57