Council Recap: Traffic calming improvements approved

Council Recap: Traffic calming improvements approved

Published on June 24, 2026

At their Tuesday, June 23 meeting, the Lakewood City Council voted to move forward with permanent traffic calming improvements on Palo Verde Avenue and Studebaker Road, following a public study session and council discussion.

Traffic calming measures slow vehicles and improve safety for drivers and pedestrians. The Lakewood projects include updated striping, signage, lane adjustments and traffic circles or roundabouts at key intersections.

The improvements were developed as temporary pilot measures to be evaluated before becoming permanent. During council discussion, members emphasized responding to long-standing neighborhood concerns while refining the designs based on resident feedback and real-world use.

During the study session, it was reported that the data showed that the goals for both projects were achieved through the pilot program phase. The Palo Verde Avenue project proved to reduce speeding, improve driveway access, reduce stop sign violations and address unsafe driving behaviors near Candlewood Street, while the Studebaker Road project also showed reduced speeds, discouraged reckless driving, improved pedestrian access to Rynerson Park and increased parking for park users with approximately 100 more spaces added.

The projects grew out of several years of traffic safety analysis and community feedback, including city traffic safety plans and studies, Sheriff's Department service request history and resident traffic-related service requests. Those efforts identified both corridors as priority areas with overlapping safety concerns and a history of resident requests.

Staff said the final designs would include adjustments to geometry, striping, signage and related features to improve navigation, visibility and access. The city will also look for opportunities to conduct additional public outreach on final design elements where feasible.

The council's action allows the city to proceed with permanent improvements while incorporating final adjustments to improve safety, access and traffic flow.

• Council Recap