New “Slow Down Lafayette” Program Uses Data And Education To Make Local Streets Safer

The City of Lafayette is using new high-tech equipment to make streets safer for people of all ages who walk, bike, roll and drive through Lafayette.

This week, the city launched a new program, “Slow Down Lafayette.”

“Speed is the most critical factor that affects the severity of injuries, and while enforcement is part of how we reduce speed, our increased focus will be on real-time awareness for drivers and community education,” explained Police Chief Ben Alldritt.

What the new program will do:

At the heart of the new program are several new portable speed display signs and trailers. In addition to providing passing motorists with data about their speed through the real time dynamic message display, the equipment also provides Police and City Traffic Engineers with traffic volume and speed information and helps support the City’s other traffic calming efforts. This traffic speed and volume data can be used to identify high-risk locations and prioritize those areas for targeted speed education and enforcement, as well as for possible roadway engineering, to improve safety.

To engage with the community, the city has launched a new webpage, www.lovelafayette.org/slowdown which will provide information about the data collected from the new equipment, as well as safety tips for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists. The City will also display temporary “Slow Down Lafayette” signs around town.

“Our goal is to decrease speeds and increase awareness, reducing the number of crashes on local streets. We’re all in this together, so we are asking everyone who drives through Lafayette to commit to driving at or below the posted speed limits,” said Lafayette Mayor Carl Anduri.

Background:

The new portable speed display signs and trailers, along with the “Slow Down Lafayette” educational campaign are part of the city’s broader “Vision Zero” effort to improve road safety in Lafayette. In November 2021 the Lafayette City Council unanimously adopted Vision Zero, which is a global initiative to eliminate traffic fatalities and severe injuries, while increasing safe, healthy, and equitable mobility for all. Learn more about Vision Zero at https://www.lovelafayette.org/visionzero

Other citywide initiatives that promote slower speeds include the Local Road Safety Plan, Rapid Implementation Plans around our schools, and the City’s recent update to its traffic calming policy.

For more information, go to the City’s website at www.lovelafayette.org/slowdown