St. Armands Circle gets pedestrian safety improvements

New traffic calming devices known as speed tables have been installed before crosswalks at St. Armands Circle.

The Florida Department of Transportation-managed project replaced the existing modular speed humps with permanent asphalt improvements. The eight new speed tables were installed on John Ringling Boulevard and N. Boulevard of the Presidents overnight to reduce impacts to businesses and traffic. FDOT District 1 spokesperson Jason Heironimus said the cost of the project was $97,156. The asphalt work is complete and striping is expected to be done by the end of March.

Speed tables, speed humps and speed bumps all have the same end goal: reducing speed of vehicles. Speed tables are unique in their length, which can accommodate the entire wheelbase of most vehicles. Bumps, humps and tables are referred to as vertical deflection by FDOT. Horizontal deflection, when a road is narrowed, is another speed reduction strategy.

St. Armands Circle is a popular shopping and dining district adjacent to Lido Key. Shops and restaurants border a roundabout at the intersection of Boulevard of the Presidents and John Ringling Boulevard. Residents and tourists alike orbit the circle, with dozens of pedestrians crossing the street to reach different quadrants. FDOT’s goal is to keep those pedestrians safe.

“The speed tables were installed to slow traffic in the vicinity of St. Armands Circle, ultimately improving safety for pedestrians and motorists within the area,” Heironimus said.