Frequently Asked Questions

Stop signs are NOT used to improve speeding issues.  This is a clear directive in the Michigan Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MMUTCD) and is consistent throughout the country.

The placement of one or more stop signs to slow traffic will often have the opposite effect. Drivers will go faster between the signs to make up for “lost” time. In addition to speeding, the drivers will need to accelerate and decelerate for each sign.  Placing stop signs at unexpected locations can also create a higher likelihood of accidents.

The city will consider installation of stop signs for the following reasons:

• Sight distance issues
• Excessive traffic on one or both streets
• High pedestrian volumes (over 100 pedestrian crossings per hour)
• Proximity to a school

Submit a Traffic Request Form to the Engineering Division and staff will perform a 3-day traffic study for the block. If the criteria are met, staff will create a petition for you to circulate amongst your neighbors. At least 65% of property owners need to sign the petition in favor of the speed humps. View our informational document for complete details on the criteria and procedure.

Although on-street parking is for public use, residents can request parking changes on a street they reside on.  The requestor must circulate a petition created by the Engineering Division, and then submit it to the Traffic Committee for consideration. Some possible changes include:

• Restrict parking on one or both sides of the street
• Restrict parking during certain days and/or times
• Create a permit parking zone, where only residents with vehicles registered to their address on the block can park there.

Contact the Engineering Division for more information.

The city first needs to perform a traffic study to check the speed of vehicles on the block.  In accordance with standard practice, the city uses the 85th percentile speed to determine if a speeding issue exists.  This means that 85% of vehicles are driving at that speed or lower.  If the 85th percentile speed is 30 MPH or above, the city will consider traffic calming improvements. 

Some of the options considered in Royal Oak include:

• Speed humps
• Narrowing of travel lanes using striping
• Installation of median islands and/or bump-outs
• Mini traffic circles
• Raised intersections 

The National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) has a good summary of various options on their website.

The city first needs to perform a traffic study to check the volume of vehicles on the block.  Keep in mind that while streets may be in a residential neighborhood, they are not designated solely for residents on that street.

Traffic volumes up to 600 vehicles per day (VPD) are considered "low volume", 600 to 1,200 VPD is considered “moderate volume”, and volumes over 1,200 VPD is considered “high volume”.  The city generally does not recommend changes for streets with low to moderate volumes. High volume often goes hand-in-hand with speeding issues, and those potential solutions are discussed in the other FAQ questions.

The city does not recommend installation of “No Thru Traffic” signs as they are nearly unenforceable and have not been shown to improve cut-thru traffic. Signs that prevent turns during certain times of the day could be considered, or permanently closing off the road at one end of the block.   These changes require a petition showing the majority of residents are in favor.

The city generally only installs crosswalks at intersections, and most intersections already have the crosswalk ramps constructed.  Mid-block crosswalks are sometimes approved, but generally only if they are adjacent to a park, school or high-pedestrian area.

The city only paints the crosswalk striping at major roads, schools and parks.

The city can perform a sight distance analysis to determine if any changes need to be made. Sometimes this results in eliminating parking near an intersection or removal of trees or other obstructions.