Neighborhood Traffic Calming

Martin County is committed to enhancing the safety and quality of life for residents through our Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program. This initiative focuses on reducing speeding and improving safety in residential areas by implementing measures designed to slow down vehicles and create safer streets for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists.

What is Traffic Calming?

Traffic calming involves physical design features and strategies that promote safer driving in neighborhoods. These measures are intended to:

  • Reduce vehicle speeds
  • Discourage cut-through traffic
  • Increase pedestrian and cyclist safety
  • Improve the overall livability of neighborhoods

Types of Traffic Calming Measures

  • Speed Humps: Raised areas of pavement designed to slow vehicles with gentle bumps.
  • Chicanes: Curves or shifts in the road that naturally reduce vehicle speeds by forcing drivers to steer more carefully.
  • Traffic Circles: Small circular islands installed at intersections to slow vehicles and improve traffic flow.
  • Raised Crosswalks: Elevated pedestrian crossings that act as both a speed control device and a safety enhancement for pedestrians.
  • Narrowing Streets: Reducing the width of roads using curb extensions or landscaping, which encourages slower driving.

Flashing Yellow Arrows

Martin County Public Works began installing flashing yellow left-turn arrows at certain roadway intersections in 2019. 

As these changes are made at the various intersections, electronic message boards are placed to advise motorists about the change.

How Does a Flashing Left-Turn Arrow Work?

A flashing yellow arrow means that left turns are permitted, but drivers must first yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians before proceeding. It's important to note that the flashing yellow arrow does not replace the solid yellow arrow or its meaning. 

Drivers should always remember a flashing yellow means turn with caution. Stay alert and prioritize safety! 

Drivers should stop at the intersection and yield to oncoming traffic. If and when it is safe, make your left turn and proceed through the intersection. When the available time for the flashing yellow arrow ends, the solid yellow left-turn arrow begins.

The solid yellow retains its standard meaning: the left turn signal is about to go to red and they should prepare to stop, or prepare to complete their left turn if they are in the intersection.

Safer: A national study demonstrated drivers had fewer crashes with the flashing yellow left-turn arrow than with the traditional, yielding left-turn indication.

Fewer delays: Motorists have more opportunities to make a left turn with the flashing yellow left-turn arrow than with the traditional, yielding left-turn indication, which keeps you moving.

More flexible: The new display provides traffic engineers with more options to handle variable traffic volumes.

Pedestrian safety: Pedestrians can proceed without concern about left turning vehicles encroaching the crosswalk, as the left turning traffic is prohibited during the pedestrian interval.

The solid green light is often misunderstood as a left turn indicator. This is because drivers naturally think "green means go." Traffic making a left turn on a solid green light sometimes does not yield to oncoming traffic, which can result in more crashes.

The flashing yellow arrow allows left turns but at the same time communicates the "caution" message to drivers. The flashing yellow arrow is especially effective at intersections with high volumes of traffic.

Crosswalk Safety

Martin County Public Works department has begun designing and implementing mid-block crosswalk features that increase the safety of pedestrians within certain areas in the county.

Crosswalk Safety Features:

  • Stop lines at mid-block crossings are important as they ensure that a person crossing the street is visible to the second driver when the first driver is stopped at the stop line.
  • Medians and middle safety islands create a 2-­stage crossing for pedes­trians, which is safer.
  • Flashing crosswalk warning light systems alert drivers to pedestrians in the roadway.

  • Cross streets at crosswalks or intersections. Look for cars in all directions, including those turning left or right.
  • Follow the rules of the road and obey signs and signals.
  • Be visible at all times. Never assume a driver sees you. Make eye contact with drivers as they approach to make sure you are seen.
  • Pay attention and keep alert at all times.
  • Walk on sidewalks whenever they are available.

  • Look out for pedestrians everywhere, at all times.
  • Yield to pedestrians in crosswalks and stop at the white bar from the crosswalk to allow other vehicles to see the crossing pedestrians so they can stop too.
  • Slow down and be prepared to stop when turning at an intersection or entering a crosswalk area.
  • Do not pass vehicles stopped at a crosswalk. There might be people crossing where you can’t see.
  • Use extra caution when driving in hard-to-see conditions, such as at nighttime or during bad weather.

Contact Us

For more information, contact the Martin County Public Works Traffic Division at (772) 288-5466.