Hollister officials considering new policy on speed bumps, traffic circles

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Whether it’s driving over a speed bump or navigating a roundabout, Hollister motorists deal with a number of traffic calming measures put in place throughout the city in an attempt to discourage speeding. 

But the process by which those measures are approved could change as city officials consider replacing current policies in a way that would leave the decision-making primarily to city staff rather than the city council. 

Some of the traffic calming road projects the city has pursued did not go as planned. The botched zig-zag reconfiguration of Ladd Lane and Southside Road drew national attention and a lawsuit by the subcontractor. The road was eventually stripped to its original configuration and the lawsuit was settled in 2025. 

More recently, the city went on a spree of installing speed bumps and traffic circles, which can be seen throughout the city including on thoroughfares such as West Street and Central Avenue. In some cases, like Sally Street, the city initially installed speed bumps but later removed them after installing traffic circles at various intersections along a half-mile stretch of roadway near downtown.

City Manager Ana Cortez said at the Aug. 17 Hollister City Council meeting that the intent was to build upon an existing speed cushion policy to include other traffic calming measures. But the city already has a policy titled “Traffic Calming Project Policy and Procedures” that was approved with the “Speed Cushion Policy and Procedures” in 2023.

Though both policies on the process of analyzing traffic calming measures are similar, the new one under consideration would give the authority of implementation to the city engineer, rather than the council. The proposed policy also includes a similar process for community members to request removing traffic calming measures.

“We are allowing the subject matter expert to make a determination,” Cortez said. She added that under the new policy the city engineer would ultimately determine if there is an actual issue to be addressed and what would be the appropriate traffic calming measure to be implemented.

According to the proposed policy, a request to install a traffic calming measure can be submitted by a community member or City Council member to the city engineer and must include a petition by the neighborhood. If the request is deemed complete, the city engineer would analyze whether the location merits a traffic calming measure. 

Further, under the new policy, once a traffic calming measure is installed, it cannot be considered for removal for a year. Cortez said this allows the city time to determine if the measure is effective. 

In the existing policy, an application can move to the council for consideration only after obtaining the approval of the city engineer and fire and police departments. 

The next step under existing rules is for the council to consider funding a traffic study. 

If the study is approved and it concludes a traffic calming measure is warranted, the council can then place it on its capital improvement list.

Meanwhile, first responders have the authority to reject an application based on “emergency services concerns, such as reduced emergency response times.”

Under the proposed new policy, there are more requirements for a neighborhood to support a project before the city engineer conducts an analysis. Anyone requesting a traffic calming measure must obtain agreement from all property owners immediately adjacent to the project location and at least 70% of nearby property owners who could be impacted. The latter requirement is also part of the existing policy.

The policies also differ in the appeals process. While the existing policy allows the City Council to review all appeals, the proposed new process would give the city manager the authority to make a final determination. 

If the new process is approved, the council would only review an appeal if it involves a policy change. 

When she presented the proposed changes, Cortez referenced only the 2023 speed cushion policy. She said the idea was to replace the existing policy with a more comprehensive one that addresses other traffic calming measures. 

Though she didn’t mention the existing traffic calming policy specifically, Cortez said all guidelines that conflict with the proposed process would be nullified. 

Cortez said it was Councilmember Priscilla De Anda’s idea to create a policy that encompassed all traffic calming measures, not just speed bumps.

Binu Abraham, the executive director of the regional transportational agency Council of San Benito County Governments, said the city should consider the safety of all when analyzing traffic calming measures. 

“We typically forget to consider that a road for transportation purposes is considered a source of mobility for all users,” she said, “regardless of whether you are using your personal cars, pedestrians, bike, emergency services vehicles, transit vehicles. They are all given equal importance.

The council directed staff to update the proposed policy with language to analyze impacts to pedestrians, bicyclists and emergency service vehicles.

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