Speed Cushion Cost: 2026 Per-Unit & Installed Pricing

A speed cushion typically costs $2,500 to $8,000 per cushion installed in 2026, with modular rubber sets running on the lower end and custom asphalt or concrete cushions on the upper end. The Federal Highway Administration's Traffic Calming ePrimer Module 3.4 lists national construction costs in a similar range, and Oregon Department of Transportation traffic-calming records corroborate. The price spread comes from material choice, wheel-track-gap geometry, traffic-control complexity, and quantity. Get a quote for your specific street.

What Does a Speed Cushion Cost in 2026?

Industry Baseline Range

Configuration	Per-cushion installed
Modular rubber, 3 lane sections	$3,500 to $6,500
Modular plastic / polyurethane	$2,500 to $4,500
Asphalt cast-in-place	$4,000 to $7,500
Sinusoidal-profile rubber	$4,500 to $8,000
Concrete	$6,000 to $10,500

These figures reflect published industry averages. Current market pricing varies significantly and actual quotes may fall well outside these ranges based on site-specific conditions, material costs, and project complexity.

Current Market Reality

Speed cushion prices in 2026 are noticeably higher than the FHWA-published reference values from the original ePrimer release. Three drivers explain the move. First, recycled-rubber crumb pricing climbed roughly 12 to 16% across 2024 and 2025 per USDA Rubber Recyclers Association market reports. Second, asphalt binder (PG-grade) costs are up roughly 18% per the BLS PPI WPU0581 series. Third, Oregon prevailing-wage rates for paving and traffic-control work moved up with regional construction inflation. None of these reverse in 2026.

Why Does the Price Range Span $5,500?

Eight factors drive a speed cushion estimate up or down within the baseline range:

What Affects the Per-Cushion Price?

1. Material. Rubber and plastic ship from a manufacturer; asphalt and concrete are formed on site. Material choice swings the line item by $1,500 to $4,000 per cushion.
2. Wheel-track-gap configuration. A standard three-section cushion with two gaps costs less than a four-section cushion sized for a one-way street with two outside-lane gaps and a center gap.
3. Cushion height and length. A 3-inch cushion costs less than a 3.5-inch one because hot-mix volume is lower. Cushion segments at 6 feet long cost less than 7-foot segments.
4. Anchor system. Concrete anchors set into intact pavement cost less than asphalt-anchor spike systems, which need replacement every 3 to 5 years in the Willamette Valley freeze-thaw zone.
5. Site preparation. Cushions on existing pavement that has cracking, oxidation, or rutting need spot repair before anchor placement. Add $300 to $1,200 per cushion when prep is required.
6. Traffic control. A residential street install needs 1 flagger plus advance warning signage; a collector street needs 2 flaggers, lane closure, and detour signage. Traffic control swings the line item by $400 to $1,500.
7. Mobilization. Two cushions on one street cost less per cushion than one cushion at one site, because mobilization is roughly fixed.
8. Permit and design review. Some Oregon cities (Portland, Eugene) require fire-marshal sign-off plus engineering review before install. Permit fees and engineering documentation add $200 to $800 per project.

How Does Speed Cushion Cost Compare with Speed Bumps and Speed Tables?

Device	Typical installed cost	When it wins
Speed bump (rubber)	$200 to $800	Parking lots, low-speed access lanes
Speed hump (asphalt)	$1,500 to $5,000	Residential streets without fire-access concerns
Speed cushion	$2,500 to $8,000+	Residential or commercial streets with fire-access or transit needs
Speed table	$5,000 to $15,000+	Streets with marked crosswalks or transit routes

The cushion premium over a speed hump pays for the wheel-track gaps that preserve emergency-vehicle access. On a fire-access street the cushion is not optional even if it costs more. For comparison detail see the speed cushion vs speed table sibling article.

What Goes Into a Speed Cushion Quote?

A typical line-item breakdown:

Line item	Modular rubber	Asphalt cast-in-place
Material	$1,200 to $2,800	$400 to $1,200
Anchor / fastener hardware	$200 to $400	$100 to $300
Site preparation	$0 to $800	$300 to $1,200
Labor (paving or anchor crew)	$1,000 to $1,800	$1,800 to $3,000
Traffic control	$400 to $1,500	$400 to $1,500
Mobilization	$300 to $700	$400 to $900
Pavement marking + signage	$300 to $700	$300 to $700
Permit and review	$200 to $800	$200 to $800

For installation labor specifically see speed cushion installation cost, which separates the labor and traffic-control line items from the material total.

How Much Do Three Cushions in a Set Cost?

Most speed-cushion installs use a set of two or three cushions to handle a corridor. Set pricing reflects mobilization sharing across cushions:

• 2 cushions: $5,000 to $13,000 total ($2,500 to $6,500 per cushion)
• 3 cushions: $7,000 to $19,500 total ($2,300 to $6,500 per cushion)
• 5 cushions: $11,000 to $30,000 total ($2,200 to $6,000 per cushion)

The per-cushion cost drops as quantity rises because mobilization, traffic control set-up, and signage hardware amortize across the whole job. Cojo's quote form lets you specify expected quantity to capture the volume break.

From Our Crew

In late 2024 Cojo installed three modular rubber speed cushions on a Tigard fire-access greenway for Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue. The contracted price was within the $3,500 to $6,500 per-cushion baseline range. The project line items reflected the cost structure above with one twist: the city pre-purchased the cushion modules, so our quote covered installation only. That installation-only scope ran roughly 55% of the all-in number, which is typical for owner-furnished material projects.

What Cost-Share Programs Reduce Resident Cost?

Several Oregon municipalities offer cost-share for residential traffic calming:

• Portland Bureau of Transportation runs a Neighborhood Greenways and Traffic Calming program with city funding for qualifying installs
• Salem Public Works runs a residential traffic-calming program with neighborhood-association co-payment models
• Eugene Public Works pairs cost-share with Vision Zero priority corridors
• Bend MC 8.05 governs the cost-share framework for traffic-calming requests

For program details see the speed cushions guide and the best speed cushions for fire access sibling article. Always verify current program eligibility with the issuing jurisdiction before assuming a particular cost-share level.

Need a Speed Cushion Quote?

Cojo prices speed cushion installs by line item so the cost structure stays transparent. We carry the modular rubber product line most Oregon fire departments have already vetted and form asphalt cushions with the same paving crew that handles surrounding pavement. For Salem-area installs see Speed Cushion Installation Salem or pair the install with our asphalt maintenance services. Get a custom quote.

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