FAQs

Speed humps and speed bumps are vertical obstacles in the road extending across a travel way to slow vehicle speeds. They are made of asphalt, concrete, plastic, rubber, or metal. The Town does not recommend installing speed humps or bumps on publicly maintained roads due to their lack of effectiveness, the impediment to snow removal operations, and installation and maintenance costs.

Information provided by neighboring jurisdictions has shown that speed humps have not been effective at significantly reducing vehicle speeds, reducing speeds by only 1 or 2 miles per hour and in some cases resulting in higher speeds.

Additional issues with speed humps include:

• Interference with emergency vehicle response times.
• Increased traffic noise levels from engines revving over the speed humps.
• Increased acceleration between the speed humps.
• Increase in vehicle exhaust emissions from acceleration after going over speed humps.

Operating speeds are based on the visual scene and characteristics of the roadway more than by the posted speed limit. As a result, changes in the posted speed limit have little to no effect on vehicle speeds. A nationwide study collected speed data from 100 sites across 22 states where posted speed limits were either raised or lowered by increments of 5 mph. Review of the before and after speed data revealed that changes in speed were generally 2 miles per hour. Changing the posted speed limit did not have a significant effect on modifying driver behavior.

All roads in Truckee are categorized as local roads per the California Vehicle Code definition. The speed limit is set at 25 miles per hour (Town Municipal Code 10.05.020 Town Prima Facie Speed) for most roads in Truckee unless a higher speed limit is determined to be appropriate. Under this circumstance, the Town typically establishes speed limits based on the 85th percentile speeds which is the speed that 85% of vehicles are traveling at or below. The 85th percentile speed is used because it reflects a collective judgment of the vast majority of drivers as to a reasonable speed for given roadway conditions. Considerations are also made with regard to infrastructure and traffic conditions, such as: roadway pavement widths, shoulder widths, curves, driveway density, potential for and volume of bicycle and pedestrian traffic, and collision rates. Lowering a speed limit below the 85th percentile speed does not necessarily improve safety or result in voluntary motorist compliance.

Ways you can help include:

• Set the pace! Drive at or below the speed limit and observe all rules of the road.
• Report speeding incidents to the Truckee Police Department. If you notice vehicles speed at a particular time of day, or day of the week, provide that information. You may make a request for additional enforcement.
• Lead by example! Drive the speed limit and follow all driving rules.

Speed feedback signs remind drivers of the speed at which they are traveling in relation to the posted speed limit. However, local observations show that drivers pay more attention to them when they are newly placed and tend to disregard them over time.

The Town Council adopted the Radar Speed Sign Policy in 2013 and later updated it in 2023. You can view the Radar Speed Sign Policy (PDF). The policy identifies a limited number of locations for permanent radar speed feedback signs to be considered for installation if certain requirements are met.

The Truckee Police Department has a temporary radar speed feedback sign that is kept in continuous rotation in various areas throughout Town as weather permits.

In general, the Town has a policy to limit the amount of signage throughout town to minimize sign pollution and maintain small-town character. When deciding whether or not to place a new sign we consider several factors including legal and technical appropriateness, likely effectiveness of the requested signage to change driver behavior, maintenance of a consistent approach throughout the community, and effective use of public resources. Studies have suggested speed limit signs do not significantly modify driver behavior, and drivers tend to disregard signs in the long term. Per California regulations, stop signs should be used for traffic control at intersections and not for regulating speeds.

Crosswalks may be located at signalized and unsignalized intersections or at mid-block locations. Crossings at intersections with higher levels of pedestrian traffic are more likely to be marked with a crosswalk, whereas intersections with lower levels of pedestrian traffic are less likely to be marked. In addition, mid-block crosswalks are not recommended unless accompanied with physical features (such as a center island). When determining where a crosswalk should be located and how it should be marked, several roadway and pedestrian characteristics are examined such as:

• The speed limit of the roadway
• Traffic volumes
• Number of travel lanes
• Road width
• Presence of center islands
• Pedestrian traffic volumes
• Pedestrian behaviors
• Visual clearance
• Collision data

Efforts are made to mark crossings at convenient and safe locations. However, pedestrians should always remain “heads up” when using crosswalks as markings and signs do not protect against inattentive drivers.

The term “right of way” describes portions of land where a government agency has legal access to the land to perform one or more of its duties.

One of the most common examples of the right of way in the Town of Truckee is the area of land between privately owned land and the edge of pavement of streets owned and/or maintained by the Town. View a diagram depicting the location of a right of way (PDF). This area allows for storage of snow that is plowed from Town streets.

Mailboxes are allowed in the Town right-of-way if they are placed in moveable containers, such as a 5-gallon bucket filled with concrete or sand. The Town assumes no liability whatsoever for mailboxes temporarily located in the right-of-way and damaged by snow removal operations. Bear-proof garbage containers must be placed out of the Town right-of-way and on private property. While the Town requires the box outside the right-of-way, the Tahoe Truckee Sierra Disposal Company (TTSD) also has maximum distances off of the street.

If you have any additional questions please call TTSD at 530-583-0148.

View the Residential Driveway Requirements (PDF).

The Town of Truckee right-of-way is home to roadways and utilities alike. The Town repaves and slurry seals its streets with asphalt-concrete. The utility providers routinely trench for underground utilities in the Town right-of-way. In order to tie in to residential driveways after periodic road and utility maintenance, we require that driveways be constructed from asphalt concrete.

In general, these slope specifications allow for safe access to and from houses by emergency response vehicles such as ambulances and firetrucks.

Residential lots in Truckee are limited to one encroachment due to the need for snow storage in the Town right of way.

Individual property owners are responsible for maintaining driveway culverts. This includes clearing of sediment and debris and repairing and replacing the culvert.

Subgrade inspections are conducted prior to foundation inspection, approval, and concrete pouring to ensure that the rough grade of the driveway is sufficient to meet what is provided on the approved plans. Ideally, the subgrade inspection should occur prior to the foundation formwork. Often, once the foundation is poured it is too late to adjust the grade of the driveway between the home and the edge of pavement. The Engineering Department avoids this difficult issue by performing a subgrade inspection early on in the construction project.

You will need a driveway permit when you tear out and put in new asphalt (check with Engineering at 530-582-2931

Building a new garage but keeping the same driveway will also likely require a permit; please check with Engineering at 530-582-2931.

Resurfacing or re-sealing your driveway will not require a permit

You do not need a driveway permit when you are performing maintenance (slurry seal or repaving) of your driveway in its original permitted location, dimensions, and grades.

Slurry Seal

Slurry seal is a thin seal placed on roadways to help preserve the roadway surface. Slurry uses a fine aggregate similar to sand, while pavement contains a coarse aggregate. For maintenance of a roadway in good condition, a slurry seal placed on the existing pavement adds time to the life of the roadway. A slurry seal is a cold-mix combination of asphalt emulsion, fine well-graded aggregate, and water. Slurry seals have been used by the Town for many years and have proven to be a cost-effective preventative treatment that is well-accepted by the community.

Pavement

Pavement consists of a thicker structural section of asphalt concrete. Re-paving consists of placing 2 inches or more thick asphalt overlay on top of a paved road. In some instances (when the road is severely deteriorated or if tying into existing crossroads would be too difficult if the pavement elevation is increased) a specified depth of the existing pavement is removed and then replaced with new asphalt. Reconstruction consists of milling and removing the existing pavement and base course. The new base is then added, shaped, and compacted. Two or more lifts of asphalt concrete are then placed on the base course.

The Town of Truckee applies slurry seals to most Town roads once every five years. A higher level of service is also provided to the Glenshire and Tahoe Donner Subdivision roads, where property owners pay a special service fee that funds more frequent maintenance (slurry seals once every three years).

The roads that are proposed to be slurry sealed this year may be found on the Town’s Capital Improvement Projects page.

The Town of Truckee paves most roads every 12 to 20 years. The Town conducts roadway inspections occur approximately every five years, during which the roads are rated. Those roads that receive a low rating (due to cracks, wear, rutting, potholes, or poor ride conditions) are flagged and scheduled for upgrade. The Town's Pavement Maintenance Program (PMP) provides a five-year schedule for the maintenance of Town roads. Note that the PMP is a planning document and roads may be added or eliminated to the maintenance schedule based upon additional field surveys or consideration for other construction projects in town.

View the paving and slurry schedules from the 2018 PMP (PDF).

Please call the Planning Department at 530-582-7820 and check with the homeowner association for the neighborhood in which you live (if applicable).