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Overland Park Today
By the People, for the People
Overland Park Tests Speed Cushions on 4 Busy Streets
The city is experimenting with a new approach to curb speeding and gather data on traffic safety.
Apr. 11, 2026 at 5:40pm
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Overland Park's innovative speed cushions aim to slow down drivers and improve traffic safety on busy streets, without disrupting emergency response or local commerce.Overland Park TodayOverland Park, Kansas is installing speed cushions on four collector streets as part of a one-year federal grant program aimed at reducing crashes. The cushions are narrower than traditional speed humps and spaced to allow emergency vehicles to pass, while still interrupting the rhythm of speeding drivers. The city is embracing a learning approach, treating the streets as a testbed and residents as co-investors in safer roads.
Why it matters
This initiative is part of Overland Park's broader Safe Streets For All program, which is focused on data-driven decision-making around traffic safety. If the speed cushions prove effective at reducing risky behavior while preserving access and response times, the city could expand the approach to other streets. The project also demonstrates a willingness to experiment in plain sight, engaging the community to build trust and legitimacy around innovative traffic calming measures.
The details
The speed cushions are being installed on four collector streets in Overland Park. They are narrower than full-speed humps and spaced to allow emergency vehicles to pass without their tires suffering from rigid, continuous barriers. This design acknowledges the real-world needs of responders while still interrupting the rhythm of speeding drivers. The one-year installation period will allow the city to gather data on the cushions' impact on crash reduction and traffic flow.
- The speed cushions will be installed in April 2026.
- The one-year test period will run through April 2027.
The players
Overland Park
The city of Overland Park, Kansas, which is implementing the speed cushion experiment as part of its broader Safe Streets For All program.
What’s next
If the speed cushions prove effective at reducing speeding and crashes, Overland Park plans to consider expanding the approach to other streets in the city. The results of the one-year test period will inform future decisions about traffic calming measures and policies.
The takeaway
Overland Park's speed cushion experiment represents a shift from 'one-size-fits-all' traffic safety to a more 'context-aware' approach, where the city is willing to test innovative solutions and gather data to inform future policymaking. By engaging the community and embracing a learning mindset, Overland Park is demonstrating how modern cities can blend federal funding, local engineering judgment, and public input to craft safer, smarter streets without sacrificing everyday life.
