One of the newly installed speed feedback signs is seen in the evening hours on State Route 95 on the north side of Lake Havasu City. Courtesy of Lake Havasu City
LAKE HAVASU CITY – Electronic speed feedback signs have sprung up around town and Lake Havasu City planning and law enforcement officials hope motorists get the message to follow the posted speed.
Twenty-six speed feedback signs recently have been installed citywide thanks to the federally funded Highway Safety Improvement Program
“We want to improve awareness of speed and change driver behavior,” said Tommy Martin, senior transportation planner with the Lake Havasu Metropolitan Planning Organization.
About $742,000 in federal funding has allowed the city to put the feedback signs all over town, including four on State Route 95, others in school zones and on the Island. The locations are recognized for comparatively higher traffic volume and a more significant need for beefed up safety measures.
Martin said he knows it makes him more aware of his speed when he sees the signs, especially in school zones.
Speed feedback signs are not new to Havasu. The city has utilized several speed feedback signs, including one on North Acoma Boulevard. Previously, an electronic feedback sign was used at an entryway to Rotary Park, but that sign was long ago removed.
The signs are part of a larger transportation safety effort identified through the Lake Havasu Metropolitan Planning Organization’s long-range planning, which prioritizes roadway upgrades and safety investments over a five-year period outlined in the region’s Transportation Improvement Plan, according to a city press release.
It’s too early to get a sense of how effective the speed feedback signs have been locally, Martin said. “I’m sure we’ll be doing a follow-up on that.”
Greg Moberly
