Can I install a speed table myself?

No. A speed table requires a paving crew, paver and screed equipment, milling capability, traffic-control plan, and (on public streets) an engineering review and city approval. Even modular rubber speed tables involve multiple anchored modules, pavement marking, and advance warning signage subject to MUTCD standards. Self-install is not realistic for any speed table configuration.

How long does a speed table take to install?

A standard 22-foot asphalt speed table installs in 6 to 10 hours with a 5-person paving crew plus 2 to 3 flaggers. A sinusoidal-profile table runs 8 to 12 hours. A concrete table runs 1 working day plus 24 to 48 hours of cure time. A brick-inlay table runs 1 to 2 working days plus a separate inlay day. A set of three standard tables typically wraps in 1 to 2 working days.

What is the most common installation mistake?

Inadequate sub-base preparation. A speed table installed over rutted, soft, or frost-heaved sub-base settles unevenly, develops cracking at the ramp-to-flat-top transitions, and fails ahead of design life. The Asphalt Institute MS-22 paving manual identifies sub-base condition as the dominant factor in pavement longevity. Spend time on Step 4 of the procedure.

Do I need ADA review for a speed table?

If the speed table crosses any accessible route (sidewalk, marked crosswalk, or pedestrian path leading to a public entrance), yes. ADA Standards section 403 sets cross-slope and running-slope limits the table's flat top must meet. The 6-foot ramps on a standard 3-inch-tall table run at 4.2%, which is compliant. Steeper or shorter ramps fail. Coordinate ADA review with the engineering review.

What about night-time installation?

Most speed table installs are scheduled during daytime off-peak hours to avoid premium-time labor multipliers (25 to 50% above standard). Concrete cast-in-place tables are sometimes scheduled across a weekend not for premium-time savings but to compress traffic disruption while concrete cures. Always coordinate working hours with the city's noise ordinance and the surrounding residential or commercial use.

How to Install a Speed Table: 2026 Step-by-Step Guide

A speed table installation is a 9-step paving operation that runs from layout and traffic control through milling, sub-base preparation, hot-mix asphalt placement, ramp screeding, and pavement marking. The Federal Highway Administration's Traffic Calming ePrimer Module 3.3 and the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Traffic Calming Manual, Chapter 3, define the geometry. The procedure below covers a standard 22-foot asphalt speed table, the most common configuration in Oregon residential traffic-calming programs.

Tools and Materials

Survey-grade tape measure (100 feet or longer) and chalk line
Pavement saw
Mill or grind equipment (for sub-base prep)
Paver and screed (or hand-screed for short jobs)
Plate compactor or roller (for hot-mix compaction)
Hot-mix asphalt (PG-grade per local specification)
Tack coat
Pavement marking paint or pre-formed thermoplastic
Advance warning signs (MUTCD W17-1)
Traffic-control hardware (cones, flagger paddles)

Time and Crew

Crew: 5-person paving crew plus 2 to 3 flaggers
Time on site: 6 to 10 hours per single table, 1 working day for a set of 3 standard tables
Cure time: asphalt cools and is trafficable within 1 to 2 hours; full cure for line painting in 24 hours

Step 1: Verify Layout and Cross-Section

Confirm the table location and dimensions with the engineering drawing or city traffic-calming application. The standard 22-foot speed table consists of a 10-foot flat top and two 6-foot parabolic ramps. Total height is 3 to 4 inches above grade. Per ITE Traffic Calming Manual Chapter 3, the cross-section profile is non-negotiable for compliant traffic-calming performance. Mark the table footprint on existing pavement with chalk lines, including ramp toes and the flat-top edges.

Step 2: Set Up Traffic Control

Position MUTCD W17-1 advance warning signs 100 to 200 feet upstream of the work zone in each direction, scaled to posted speed per MUTCD Part 6 work-zone standards. Place cones to define the work zone (typically 60 to 100 feet long for a single table). Station flaggers at each end. For multi-table corridors, the work zone may extend several hundred feet, requiring additional flagger positions and detour signage.

Step 3: Saw-Cut the Existing Pavement Edge

Saw-cut the edges of the table footprint to a clean vertical line. The cut prevents lift and oxidation at the joint between new and existing pavement. Cut depth should match milling depth in Step 4 (typically 2 to 3 inches). Per the Asphalt Pavement Alliance joint-treatment guidance, a clean vertical cut is the most important factor in long-term joint integrity.

Step 4: Mill or Grind the Sub-Base

Mill the existing pavement within the table footprint to a uniform depth of 2 to 3 inches. The milling provides a key for the new asphalt to bond and ensures the finished table sits at the correct height above original grade. If the existing sub-base is unstable (rutted, soft, or frost-heaved), excavate further and rebuild the sub-base with compacted aggregate. Per the Asphalt Institute's MS-22 paving manual, sub-base condition is the dominant factor in pavement longevity.

Step 5: Apply Tack Coat

Apply a uniform tack coat over the milled surface and the saw-cut joint edges. Tack coat ensures the new hot-mix bonds to the existing pavement substrate. Allow tack to break (asphalt emulsion turns black) before placing hot-mix. Insufficient tack is the most common cause of premature joint failure on speed tables.

Step 6: Place Hot-Mix Asphalt and Set Initial Lift

Place hot-mix asphalt within the table footprint to roughly the flat-top elevation. For a 3-inch table, the lift is approximately 4 to 5 inches uncompacted (compaction reduces volume by 20 to 25%). Spread evenly with a paver or hand-tools depending on table footprint size. Compaction begins immediately after placement to avoid heat loss.

Step 7: Screed the Parabolic Ramps and Flat Top

This is the precision step. Use a screed template or skilled hand-screeding to form the 6-foot parabolic ramps to the ITE-recommended profile. The ramps must be symmetric and consistent in profile across the lane width. The 10-foot flat top must be level (less than 1% running slope) per ADA Standards section 403 if the table crosses an accessible route. Hand-finishing crews use long straightedges and torpedo levels to verify the flat top during the working temperature window.

Step 8: Compact the Asphalt

Compact the asphalt with a roller or plate compactor working from the outer edges toward the center. Maintain the parabolic ramp profile during compaction; over-compaction in one area changes the geometry. Per the Asphalt Institute, density is verified with nuclear gauge or core sample for municipal acceptance; on private installs visual inspection plus knowledge of paver and roller passes is typical.

Step 9: Apply Pavement Marking and Install Signage

After asphalt cools (typically 1 to 2 hours), apply pavement markings per MUTCD Section 3B.26. Most jurisdictions specify advance warning chevrons painted on the ramps, the flat-top edges painted with reflective stripes, and (where the table doubles as a raised crosswalk) the marked crosswalk lines per MUTCD Section 3B.18. Install permanent advance warning signs (MUTCD W17-1) at 100 to 200 feet upstream in each direction, replacing the temporary work-zone signage.

Verification Checklist Before Demobilizing

[ ] Table dimensions verified: 22-foot total length, 10-foot flat top, 6-foot ramps
[ ] Height verified: 3 to 4 inches above grade
[ ] Flat-top running slope under 1% (or per ADA section 403 if accessible route crosses)
[ ] Joint compaction visually clean, no lift or feathering
[ ] Pavement marking applied per MUTCD
[ ] Advance warning signs installed at correct upstream distance
[ ] Drainage flow path preserved across table

How Is a Sinusoidal-Profile Speed Table Different?

A sinusoidal speed table replaces the straight-taper parabolic ramps with continuous sine-wave ramps across the full table length. Step 7 is replaced with a custom screed template matching the sinusoidal cross-section, and the flat-top section is shortened or eliminated. Bus and emergency-vehicle ride quality improves at the cost of a more demanding installation; sinusoidal installs add 10 to 20% labor over standard parabolic.

How Is a Brick-Inlay Speed Table Different?

A brick-inlay table follows steps 1 through 6 above to build the structural slab, then a separate hardscape crew lays brick or paver inlay on the flat-top section before steps 7 through 9 finish the asphalt ramps. The inlay is bedded in a sand or mortar setting bed and edge-restrained against the asphalt ramp. Brick-inlay installs typically span 1 to 2 working days plus a separate inlay day.

From Our Crew

In April 2025 Cojo installed three sinusoidal-profile asphalt speed tables on a Eugene neighborhood greenway. The 5-person paving crew plus three flaggers wrapped two tables on day one and the third on day two, with pavement marking applied on a separate day after the asphalt cooled and full cure was reached. Eugene-Springfield Fire Department reviewed the sinusoidal profile at design stage and confirmed apparatus delay would stay under 3 seconds per table at code-3 response. Post-install radar speed studies confirmed 85th-percentile speed reduction from 31 mph to 21 mph.

Safety Warnings

Never install a speed table without an approved traffic-control plan; lane closure and flagger placement are required even for short work zones
Verify the table profile dimensions match the engineering drawing before placing hot-mix; a wrong profile is not field-correctable after compaction
Always confirm whether the table crosses an accessible route; if yes, the flat top must comply with ADA Standards section 403 cross-slope and running-slope limits
Always verify current MUTCD and local jurisdiction requirements before specifying signage; standards change

Or Hire Cojo's Installation Crew

Cojo installs standard, sinusoidal, brick-inlay, and concrete speed tables across the Oregon I-5 corridor. We coordinate the city traffic-calming application packet, field survey, paving, traffic control, and pavement marking in one scope. For the labor breakdown see speed table installation cost, or pair the install with our asphalt maintenance services. For Portland-area installs see Speed Table Installation Portland. Get a custom quote.