Speed Tables on Bus Routes: 2026 Transit-Compatible Spec

A speed table on a bus route is typically spec'd at 22 feet long, 3 inches tall, with a sinusoidal-profile cross-section to keep bus delay and rider discomfort down. Transit buses cross at 18 to 22 mph and lose 2 to 4 seconds per device. The FHWA Traffic Calming ePrimer Module 3.3 and the ITE Traffic Calming Manual, Chapter 3, both back tables on transit corridors. Below: Oregon transit-agency coordination, profile selection, and operating-speed considerations.

Why Are Speed Tables Used on Bus Routes?

Speed tables are the only vertical-deflection traffic-calming device that preserves transit-bus operating speeds. Speed bumps slow buses to 8 to 12 mph (adding 8 to 14 seconds per device). Speed humps slow buses to 10 to 14 mph (adding 6 to 10 seconds). Speed cushions are bus-friendly only when bus axle width matches the wheel-track gap, which is not always the case for North American transit fleets.

Speed tables work because the 22-foot footprint accommodates the bus's long wheelbase. The bus's front and rear axles are in different table positions during the crossing, distributing weight across the device. Combined with the gentle 4 to 5% ramp grade, the result is a barely perceptible bump at 18 to 22 mph rather than the abrupt jolt of a hump or bump.

The Transit Cooperative Research Program's TCRP Report 145 on the bus operating environment documents these performance differences with field data.

What Profile Should I Specify on a Bus Route?

Profile	Bus delay	Rider discomfort	Recommendation
Standard parabolic 22-ft	3 to 5 sec	Mild	Acceptable; not preferred
Sinusoidal 22-ft	2 to 4 sec	Minimal	Preferred for primary bus routes
Brick-inlay 22-ft	3 to 5 sec	Mild	Aesthetic option for historic districts
Concrete 22-ft	3 to 5 sec	Mild	Industrial-grade, hospital service roads

The sinusoidal profile is the recommended pick on primary bus routes because the continuous sine-wave ramp eliminates the abrupt grade change at the ramp-to-flat-top transition that standard parabolic profiles include. USDOT Volpe Center ride-quality research documents the rider-comfort benefit.

What Are Oregon Transit Agencies Saying?

Three Oregon transit agencies have published guidance or precedent on speed tables on bus routes:

TriMet (Portland Metro)

TriMet has not formally objected to speed tables on bus routes when designed to ITE standards. TriMet's primary concern is the slope and surface continuity of the device; rough or settled tables are flagged for repair through the TriMet Bus Stop Improvement Program coordination process. The agency works with Portland Bureau of Transportation on speed table location to balance operating speed and traffic-calming objectives.

Lane Transit District (Eugene-Springfield)

Lane Transit District has supported speed table installation on neighborhood greenways that overlap with LTD bus routes, particularly through the Eugene Vision Zero priority corridor program. LTD requests sinusoidal profiles on routes with frequent service and maintains coordination with Eugene Public Works on table location.

Salem-Keizer Transit

Salem-Keizer Transit has worked with Salem Public Works on speed table reviews case-by-case. The agency's primary concern is route reliability; speed tables that produce more than 6 seconds of bus delay per device on a multi-table corridor have been objected to in some Salem proposals.

Always verify current transit-agency feedback on a specific corridor before specifying. Agency positions evolve with each new corridor and each new transit fleet refresh.

What Bus Stop Considerations Apply?

Speed tables interact with bus stops in two ways:

1. Stop placement. A bus stop should not coincide with the leading or trailing ramp of a speed table; the bus would deboard with the rear axle still on the ramp. Standard practice is to place the stop at least 30 feet upstream or downstream of the device.
2. Pedestrian accessibility. A raised crosswalk variant of a speed table that doubles as a pedestrian crossing can serve a bus stop with elevated pedestrian visibility. ADA Standards section 403 cross-slope and running-slope limits apply to the crosswalk.

For dimensional detail see speed table dimensions.

How Do Speed Tables Compare with Other Bus-Friendly Traffic Calming?

Device	Bus delay	Speed reduction	Notes
Speed cushion	2 to 4 sec	20-30%	Wheel-track gaps; check bus axle width fits
Speed table (parabolic)	3 to 5 sec	22-35%	Standard residential design
Speed table (sinusoidal)	2 to 4 sec	25-40%	Preferred on primary bus routes
Chicane	None to 1 sec	15-25%	Horizontal-deflection alternative
Curb extension / bulb-out	None	8-12%	Pedestrian-priority alternative

Sinusoidal speed tables are typically the preferred vertical-deflection option on bus routes. Where vertical deflection is not required (because the corridor's traffic volume or speed is below the calming threshold), horizontal-deflection devices like chicanes or curb extensions can be used instead.

What Is the Approval Process on a Bus Corridor?

Five-step process for a residential street that overlaps with a bus route:

1. Resident or neighborhood association files a traffic-calming application with the city
2. City traffic engineering reviews the corridor against speed and volume thresholds
3. City coordinates with the transit agency on the proposed location and profile
4. Transit agency provides feedback or formal sign-off
5. City issues construction approval and the project moves to install

Timeline runs 6 to 18 months from petition to install. Streets on primary bus routes often run on the longer side because of the additional transit-agency coordination cycle.

From Our Crew

In April 2025 Cojo installed three sinusoidal-profile asphalt speed tables on a Eugene neighborhood greenway that overlapped with Lane Transit District route service. LTD's coordination with Eugene Public Works during the design review confirmed the sinusoidal profile would meet operating-speed and ride-quality expectations. Post-install bus delay measurements collected by the neighborhood association radar volunteers showed under 3 seconds of delay per table at LTD's typical 22 mph operating speed on the corridor.

What If the Transit Agency Objects?

Three common objection patterns:

1. Speed table proposed too close to a bus stop. Resolution: relocate the table 30+ feet from the stop, or relocate the stop.
2. Standard parabolic profile proposed where ride quality is a concern. Resolution: upgrade to sinusoidal profile (10 to 20% cost increase, materially better ride quality).
3. Multi-table corridor produces unacceptable cumulative delay. Resolution: reduce table count, increase spacing, or substitute alternative traffic-calming on a subset of the corridor.

Transit-agency objections are usually resolvable through profile selection or location adjustment. Outright refusal is rare on residential corridors.

Need a Bus-Route-Compatible Speed Table?

Cojo coordinates transit-agency review and installation across the Oregon I-5 corridor. We work with TriMet, Lane Transit District, Salem-Keizer Transit, and other Oregon transit agencies on speed table approvals, and we install standard parabolic, sinusoidal, brick-inlay, and concrete speed tables. For ranked product picks see best speed tables for residential streets, and for engineering background see how do speed tables work. For Eugene-area installs see Speed Table Installation Eugene or pair the install with our asphalt maintenance services. Get a custom quote.

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