That feeling of a driver approaching too fast when you’re about to cross the street or of another car whizzing past you on the highway — that’s exactly what the City of Dublin has set out to resolve by directly involving residents in a data-driven approach meant to change driver behavior on our roads.
Known as Slow Down Dublin, the speed management campaign is a community partnership that strives to create safe and comfortable streets for all road users across Dublin — from highway drivers to pedestrians in neighborhoods to those enjoying a scooter or bike ride. Residents have an opportunity to use items from the campaign toolbox to show their support for safe streets and encourage others to slow down, while City divisions are extra focused on making this a reality.
First hitting the road last October, Slow Down Dublin launched along with the speed limit decrease on Riverside Drive from 40 to 25 mph between Martin and Tuller roads and the growing amount of concentrated pedestrian activity in Bridge Park. These are just a few examples of how the City seeks to use traffic data to inform real-world changes in the name of safe streets.
Slow Down Dublin is rooted in the City’s broader Speed Management Program and supported by a year’s worth of resident feedback about speeding. Dubliners shared their concerns about fast-moving traffic through a community-wide survey, multiple public meetings and other resident-focused activities.
For the right reasons
To support this, Dublin Police officers continue to be fully invested in improving overall traffic safety by focusing on changing driver behavior and decreasing traffic crashes, fatalities and the severity of crashes related to speed. Slow Down Dublin builds on the department's fundamental goal by pinpointing areas of resident concern.
“By centering our enforcement efforts on speeding and reckless driving, including compliance with school zone limits, we can push our community to reevaluate their unsafe driving practices and how that affects Dublin as a whole,” Dublin Police Chief Justin Páez says.
“This initiative really stands out because we’re not trying to be punitive or to generate revenue by issuing citations. We genuinely want to change driver behavior, which can translate to safer, more secure roadways for our community.”
While changing a speeder’s mind might not happen overnight, relying on partnerships is key to moving the needle in the right direction.
“What makes Slow Down Dublin unique is just how many partners are included in this effort,” Páez notes. The City’s Transportation & Mobility division, Dublin Police officers, and local law enforcement agencies have all paired up with the most important partner — the community — to make a difference on the roads.
This spring, the Dublin Police increased officer collaboration with neighboring police agencies to implement targeted speed enforcement patrols. The community has responded positively to the campaign, even suggesting locations for future enforcement actions. Looking back to the start of Slow Down Dublin:
- Oct. 1, 2023, to July 1, 2024, police made more than 7,000 traffic stops citywide
- In the same timeframe, police issued nearly 1,800 speeding citations
“When our police officers can be in the right places at the right times and for the right reasons, that leads to an intentional and comprehensive approach to alleviating traffic concerns,” Páez says. “It’s about working with and for our residents every way we can while inviting them to be part of the solution.”
Though still in the pilot phase, the Dublin Police Department is also using portable speed warning cameras around the city. These cameras can issue warning letters to drivers exceeding the speed limit and can be moved to areas of concern where it can be effective to target poor driving behavior. As transparency and privacy are paramount for Dublin Police, Chief Páez reminds that the cameras collect license plate and vehicle information only.
Jeannie Willis, director of Transportation & Mobility for the City, knows transparency when she sees it. She says being equipped with the right data is why Slow Down Dublin is poised for success.
“We’re actively trying to address traffic concerns comprehensively, not just on one road,” Willis notes. “With our Slow Down Dublin data portal functioning as the hub for all the data the City is collecting, together we can better inform our police officers who then enforce the speeds while gathering ongoing resident feedback in one place.”
Through the interactive dashboard, residents can see speed surveys, citations and traffic stops from recent years. It’s about working together to educate, identify patterns and work toward a solution as a community.
“To address our transportation issues when it comes to speeding, we also offer many speed study data points to our residents in an open way. I encourage any resident to dig into the data we provide as a truly connected city,” Willis says.
Traffic toolbox
Have you seen a larger-than-life sloth on Facebook recently? Or did you notice a neighbor’s new yard sign? What about all those car magnets with the words “Slow Down Dublin” on bumpers in the parking lot? These are intentional ways the City is getting residents of all ages engaged to slow down.
And being involved is essential to help get Slow Down Dublin off the ground. Anyone can join the campaign with its free toolbox of resources that empowers residents to promote safer driving behaviors.
So, what’s in the box?
- Speed laser — Become trained to use a handheld speed-measuring device and borrow one to measure traffic speeds on a roadway.
- Police ride-along — Learn about speed enforcement and data collection up close with a Dublin Police officer.
- Yard signs, bumper magnets and stickers — Show your neighbors you’re part of the campaign!
- Speed concern form — Request a speed study or report an issue on your street.
To keep the campaign's message prominent, the City also unveiled the Slow Down Sloth, a mascot capturing attention both on the streets and online. You might have first seen this quirky character at the 2024 State of the City event, where it (slowly but surely) reminded people “No one wins when you speed” — the campaign’s tagline. Serving as a friendly face with an important safety message to share, the sloth’s debut has garnered local media attention and tens of thousands of views through Dublin’s online platforms.
At its core, Slow Down Dublin is a way to help foster a culture dedicated to traffic safety. With so many dynamic facets to this community-led effort, the City of Dublin encourages residents to join the campaign at SlowDownDublin.org.
Rebecca Myers is a public information officer for the City of Dublin. Feedback welcome at rrmyers@dublin.oh.us.
