Maria Elena Scott
A speed table on W. 50th Street, where 5-year-old Apolina Asumani was fatally hit by a reckless driver.
“We continue to hear from residents who are concerned about speeding in their neighborhoods and we take these concerns very seriously,” said Mayor Justin Bibb in a statement. “I am encouraged by the results of the speed table pilot, and we will continue to curtail this dangerous behavior through physical traffic calming and data-driven solutions to create safer streets.”
Last year, 45 people in Cleveland were killed in traffic-related deaths. The speed table pilot program was announced in June 2022, just a month after 5-year-old Apolina Asumani was killed on W. 50th Street by a reckless driver. In the wake of the child’s death, urban guerillas installed speed bumps and caution signs on the road where Asumani was killed.
The program is part of Cleveland’s Vision Zero initiative, which is dedicated to eliminating deaths and serious injuries from crashes on city roads. Its 10 locations, including W. 50th Street, were chosen for their documented speeding issues and are primarily on residential streets.
Funding for further speed tables could come from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Cleveland City Council is currently reviewing Bibb’s request for $3 million of ARPA resources for additional speed table installations and other safety improvements.
“As we move into the next phase of this work, we are continually taking in resident reports of issues and concerns and collecting traffic data to inform our response,” said Cleveland’s senior strategist for Transit and Mobility Calley Mersmann in a statement. “This is not a one-size-fits-all approach. We are aligning feedback and data with proven methods to slow traffic and improve safety street by street across our neighborhoods.”
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