What is the Traffic Safe-te3 Program?
Traffic Safe-te3 is an acronym for "Safety Awareness
for Everyone Through Education, Enforcement, and Engineering." The
Farmington Hills Traffic Safe-te3 Program was created
to address neighborhood traffic safety concerns while enabling
citizens and/or community groups to become actively involved in
the improvement process. This program allows City staff and the
community to work together to create safe and pleasant conditions
in our residential areas for motorists, bicyclists, pedestrians
What types of issues can the program address?
- Pedestrian safety.
- Cut-through traffic.
- Sight distance.
How does the program work?
The program is divided into three phases that must occur
Phase I - PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION/INFORMATIONAL MEETING
Phase I identifies the problem, provides for a complete
explanation of the Traffic Safe-te3 Program, gains
the support of a Core Group of residents, and collects benchmark
data in the form of speed studies or other traffic engineering
Residents with a traffic safety concern can contact the City.
In return they receive a Program Information Brochure and a
Traffic Information Survey Form. Information in the brochure
directs the resident to discuss traffic concerns with neighbors
and/or the neighborhood association. If there is interest, the
City hosts an informational meeting to present the program.
From the informational meeting, a sub-group of residents or
Core Group will be formed to work with the City to gather
information. Speed studies will be performed at locations
identified by the residents. In addition, traffic counts may be
taken and other operational areas studied. All of the data
gathering will be done in partnership; City employees and
resident volunteers working together. This information, jointly
collected, will establish baseline data from which Phase II and
Phase III of the program will stem.
Phase II - EDUCATION AND ENFORCEMENT
Phase II is the development of an education and enforcement
plan based on the specific findings of the field review. Past
enforcement activities in the City have found that most
violations of traffic ordinances within a residential area are
the residents of that area. Therefore, much of the following
activities will be directed towards neighbors and possibly
Currently, two educational programs are in use. City staff
and the Core Group will determine the extent to which each will
be used. They are:
1. THE NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC SAFETY CAMPAIGN
This involves the distribution of a brochure or letter
describing the findings of the data collection, providing
techniques that pedestrians and parents can use to create a
safer neighborhood and encourage motorists to become better
aware of their driving habits.
2. USE OF THE SPEED MONITORING AWARENESS RADAR TRAILER
This program consists of a portable, unmanned trailer
equipped with radar speed detection equipment. The unit
obtains speeds of oncoming vehicles and displays them on a
digital display board visible to the passing motorist. The
intent is to show motorists their actual travel speed. This
program can be combined with Police Department enforcement
The enforcement plan includes the selective enforcement of
specific traffic controls and vehicle movements by our Police
Department. Following current practice, the Core Group would
identify specific time periods and locations from the collected
data and field review that the Police will target for strict
traffic ordinance enforcement. (i.e. speeding, disobeying stop
signs, improper parking, etc.)
After implementation of the education and enforcement measures,
the effectiveness is monitored, re-measured, and re-evaluated. If
the measures prove to be effective and the speeding situation is
reduced, the Core Group will notify the neighborhood of their
success and encourage the continuation of safe driving. If
however, these measures prove ineffective, the location then
qualifies for consideration of Phase III of the program.
Phase III – ENGINEERING
Phase III involves the installation of actual physical speed
control devices in the roadway. Because the devices are designed
to make it less comfortable for the motorist to speed, it is
extremely important that these devices only be installed after
exhausting the alternatives provided in Phase I and II.
Installation is determined by traffic engineering analysis and
four main factors:
1. Residential street must be functionally classified as a
2. 85th percentile speeds of 35 mph or greater (the speed
at which 85% of the traffic is traveling at or below).
3. Topography (i.e. hills, curves and intersections).
4. Presence of existing traffic controls (i.e. traffic
signals, stop signs).
Proper engineering analysis and judgment must be included
prior to installation of any physical devices. These devices can
include, speed humps, traffic circles, slow points,
entrance/exit barriers, pavement markings and traffic control
Once the Core Group and City staff has determined the best
traffic control plan, it is presented to residents at a
community meeting. Input from the residents is incorporated into
the plan. Neighborhood support is absolutely essential during
the entire process, but especially if traffic control devices
are to be installed. Before implementation, 75% support from
residents on the segment of roadway being considered is
required, through petitions. After petitions have been received
and verified, the City Council will be notified of the
recommended project. Funds can only be allocated based on
acceptance by City Council, after review of budget limitations.
Following this approval step, the device(s) will be designed and
How do we get started?
1. Identify traffic concerns in your neighborhood.
2. Discuss possible solutions with your neighbors and the
3. Fill out the attached "Traffic Information Survey" Form
and mail to the City's Engineering Division.
4. Attend the Informational Meeting to hear more about the
Traffic Safe-te3 Program.
5. Form a Core Group of residents who will be advocates for
the safety improvements.
We want to work with you and your neighbors to make your
neighborhood streets safer. Please take the first step in
achieving this by printing/completing the Traffic Information
Survey providing us with your concerns and indicating what
solutions you feel would be appropriate for your neighborhood.