How to Install Asphalt Speed Bumps (2026 Code-Compliant Guide)

Installing an asphalt speed bump takes 4 to 8 hours per bump including cure time. You need a paving crew with hot-mix material, a screed, and traffic control. The 7-step procedure mirrors what the ITE Traffic Calming Manual specifies for permanent parking-lot installs. Asphalt-poured bumps are not a DIY project — the hot-mix temperature window, screed angle, and edge taper all need paving-crew experience.

Below: our actual procedure for asphalt speed bump installation, ITE's recommended cross-section, and why most property managers contract out asphalt installs even when they self-install rubber bumps elsewhere on the same site.

Why Are Asphalt Bumps Different From Rubber?

Asphalt speed bumps are integral to the pavement — there is no anchor, no bolt, no removable section. The bump becomes part of the parking lot. That brings advantages and trade-offs:

• Lifespan. ITE references and Cojo field experience put asphalt bumps at 7 to 10-year service life versus 3 to 5 years for rubber.
• Permanent. No snowplow removal, no seasonal storage, no anchor failure mode.
• Lower lifetime cost on high-traffic sites. Annualized cost favors asphalt on commercial drive aisles with sustained vehicle volume.
• Higher install cost upfront. Industry baseline of $300 to $1,500 per asphalt bump installed versus $260 to $1,000 for rubber installed.
• Cannot be removed. Asphalt removal requires saw-cut, grind, and patch — typically $1,500 to $3,000 per bump.

Per the Federal Highway Administration Traffic Calming ePrimer, asphalt bumps are the standard for high-volume commercial parking lots where lifespan matters more than removability (FHWA Traffic Calming ePrimer, safety.fhwa.dot.gov).

What Materials and Equipment Are Required?

• Hot-mix asphalt — typically 1/2-inch dense-graded mix per Oregon Standard Specifications for Construction (oregon.gov/odot)
• Tack coat emulsion for bond between existing pavement and new bump
• Asphalt screed sized to the bump cross-section (parabolic profile, 3 to 4 inches tall, 1 to 3 ft long)
• Plate compactor for compaction
• Hand tamp for edges
• Concrete saw with diamond blade for milling
• Asphalt rake and lute for spreading
• Infrared thermometer to verify hot-mix temperature
• Traffic-control kit — cones, signs, flagger if required
• Yellow and black traffic paint for chevron per MUTCD
• W17-1 advance warning sign with post
• Personal protective equipment per OSHA 1910 (osha.gov)

Hot-mix asphalt arrives at the site at 275 to 325 degrees F. The placement window before mix cools below 220 F is roughly 30 to 60 minutes depending on ambient temperature. That window drives crew sizing and timing.

What Are the 7 Steps to Install an Asphalt Speed Bump?

Step 1 — Layout and Marking

Mark the centerline of the bump perpendicular to traffic. Mark the leading and trailing edges at the parabolic profile transition points — typically 12 to 18 inches off centerline. The bump must span full lane width per ITE Traffic Calming Manual guidance. Confirm the marked footprint clears any ADA accessible route per ADA Standards (ada.gov).

Step 2 — Traffic Control Setup

Close the lane in both directions during the install. Place cones, advance warning signs, and a flagger if jurisdiction requires it. Oregon Standard Specifications and most Oregon city public-works manuals reference traffic-control plans for any work that closes a drive lane.

Step 3 — Mill the Existing Pavement

Use the concrete saw to score the bump footprint perimeter to a depth of 1 to 1.5 inches. The score creates a clean transition between existing pavement and new asphalt. Brush out the scored area to remove dust and debris. Apply tack coat emulsion to the milled surface for bond.

Step 4 — Place Hot-Mix Asphalt

Hot-mix arrives at the site between 275 and 325 F. Verify temperature with the infrared thermometer before placement — mix below 250 F at the point of placement will not compact properly. Spread the mix over the milled footprint to roughly 130 percent of the finished bump height to allow for compaction. Use the asphalt rake and lute for initial profile shaping.

Step 5 — Screed the Parabolic Profile

Pull the screed across the mix to establish the parabolic profile per ITE recommended cross-section: 3 to 4 inches tall at centerline, tapering down to existing pavement grade at the leading and trailing edges. The parabolic shape — not a flat-top or peaked profile — is what gives the bump its 5 mph target speed. ITE Traffic Calming Manual chapter 3 documents the cross-section.

Step 6 — Compact and Hand-Tamp the Edges

Run the plate compactor across the bump in two passes — longitudinal then transverse — to achieve target density. Hand-tamp the leading and trailing edges where the plate compactor cannot reach. Compaction must complete before the mix drops below 220 F.

Step 7 — Paint Chevron and Install Signage After Cure

Allow 24 to 72 hours cure time before opening to traffic. Apply yellow-and-black chevron pattern per MUTCD guidance — 6-inch alternating stripes at 45 degrees on the bump's top surface. Install the W17-1 advance warning sign 100 to 200 feet upstream in each direction.

How Long Is the Cure Cycle?

Ambient Temperature	Cure Time Before Traffic	Cure Time Before Paint
70 F or above	24 hours	48 hours
50 to 70 F	48 hours	72 hours
Below 50 F	Not recommended	Not recommended

Oregon's paving season runs March through October per FHWA construction season data. Asphalt bump installs scheduled outside that window often face cure-time risk in cold weather.

For installation pricing, see our asphalt speed bump cost guide — it breaks down material and labor. For dimensional spec, see speed bump dimensions. For broader paving cost context, see asphalt paving cost Oregon.

What Are the Common Failure Modes?

Three failures account for most asphalt-bump problems in the first 12 months:

• Cold-mix placement. Mix below 250 F at placement does not compact, leaving voids that crack out within months.
• Edge feathering too thin. Tapered edges thinner than 1 inch at the leading and trailing transitions break out under tire load.
• Premature traffic. Vehicles on the bump before full cure deform the parabolic profile permanently.

Per Cojo's field experience, a properly installed asphalt bump on a 50,000-square-foot Salem retail center we paved in April 2026 cleared its first winter without crack-out. The site received four asphalt bumps using the procedure above; total installed cost was $4,800. The owner specifically chose asphalt over rubber because the site sees roughly 3,000 vehicle passes per day and the lifespan math favored a 7-to-10-year asphalt asset over the 3-to-5-year rubber alternative.

When Should You Hire a Contractor?

Always for asphalt-poured bumps. Asphalt speed bump installation requires:

• A paving crew with hot-mix temperature experience
• Equipment-rated screed sized to the parabolic cross-section
• Plate compactor and hand-tamp tools
• Traffic-control plan that meets Oregon city public-works requirements
• Prevailing-wage labor on covered projects (Oregon BOLI, oregon.gov/boli)

Self-install of asphalt bumps fails predictably in Oregon's freeze-thaw climate. The cure-time window, hot-mix temperature management, and screed shape all require crew experience that hand tools and a YouTube tutorial cannot replace.

For Eugene-area asphalt bump installs, see our Speed Bump Installation in Eugene Oregon service page. For overall install procedure across all materials, see how to install speed bumps.

Or Hire Cojo's Paving Crew

Asphalt speed bumps are a permanent investment in the parking lot. A 7-to-10-year asset rewards correct installation and punishes shortcuts. Cojo's paving crew installs asphalt speed bumps across the Oregon I-5 corridor with hot-mix temperature records, ITE-spec cross-section verification, and chevron-paint photos for liability documentation. Hire Cojo's installation crew for your next project.

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