City pilots new rubber speed cushions

The City of Saint John has recently installed sets of new speed cushions on Mount Pleasant Avenue East as part of its commitment to reduce measured speeding. What is new with this installation is that the speed cushions are made of rubber rather than asphalt and are bolted directly to the road surface.

Installing rubber cushions on busier roads such as Mount Pleasant Avenue East allows the City to assess their effectiveness before committing to a permanent solution such as asphalt speed cushions.

These rubber speed cushions will be measured throughout the trial period and removed in the fall of 2026, to be moved to another trial site. The City will assess the results of these bolted speed cushions, which will determine the next steps of more permanent measures on Mount Pleasant East and similar busier roads.

Speed cushions have been shown to significantly reduce speeding on Saint John streets by an average of 9 KM/H, resulting in aa 28% reduction in the risk of collisions.

They are only installed on streets where speeding meets the criteria outlined in the City’s Traffic Calming Policy. Demand for these measures continues to grow, with traffic calming requests received from the public over the last five years increasing by more than 400% compared to the previous four-year period. This rise has contributed to the City’s increased focus on traffic calming initiatives, including the use of speed cushions.

Here to help – For inquiries related to municipal services, contact the City of Saint John Customer Service Centre at (506) 658-4455, email [email protected] or visit us in person on the Ground Floor of City Hall, 15 Market Square, Monday to Friday (excluding holidays), 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.