How to request a traffic study for your street

A traffic study can help the City of Susanville evaluate speeding, heavy vehicle activity, intersection safety, parking conflicts, sight-distance concerns, and other conditions affecting a neighborhood. The review gives Public Works staff a structured way to examine reported problems and determine whether additional action is appropriate.

A request does not automatically result in a stop sign, speed hump, new pavement markings, or other changes. Traffic control decisions must account for traffic volume, collision history, roadway design, pedestrian activity, emergency access, applicable standards, and available funding.

Residents can begin by reviewing the Public Works website for department contacts, infrastructure information, project updates, and related city services. A clear, complete request helps staff understand the location and nature of the concern.

What a traffic study examines

A traffic study may involve collecting vehicle counts, measuring speeds, reviewing turning movements, inspecting signs and pavement markings, and examining sight lines. Staff may also consider bicycle and pedestrian activity, school routes, driveway access, parking patterns, and the presence of commercial or industrial traffic.

The scope depends on the issue. A complaint about speeding may require speed data collected at different times of day, while an intersection concern may focus on stop control, visibility, queue lengths, or near-miss patterns. A roadway drainage or pavement problem may need to be referred to another Public Works function rather than handled as a traffic engineering review.

Traffic studies also help distinguish isolated incidents from recurring conditions. A single unusual event can be important, but consistent observations and measurable data generally provide a stronger basis for evaluating a potential improvement.

When a request is appropriate

Consider requesting a traffic review when vehicles regularly travel at unsafe speeds, large trucks use an unsuitable route, drivers fail to yield, or a sign appears confusing, damaged, blocked, or missing. Requests may also be appropriate for recurring congestion, difficult turns, limited visibility, unsafe crossings, or conflicts between vehicles and pedestrians.

Include the exact location rather than describing an entire neighborhood whenever possible. Identify the street, nearby intersection, direction of travel, and the block or property reference. If the issue occurs near a school, park, transit stop, business district, or other public facility, include that detail.

Immediate hazards require a different response. A crash in progress, a dangerous obstruction, downed equipment, or an active threat to life should be reported through the appropriate emergency channel. A traffic study is intended for recurring or ongoing conditions that can be evaluated through normal municipal procedures.

Information to gather before submitting

A useful request explains what is happening, where it happens, and when it happens. Note the days and times when the problem is most noticeable, whether it affects one direction or both, and how often the condition occurs. Specific observations are more useful than general statements such as “traffic is bad.”

If safe to do so, record approximate vehicle speeds, traffic types, turning movements, blocked views, pedestrian crossings, or repeated close calls. Do not stand in the roadway, follow vehicles, confront drivers, or use a phone while driving. Photos should be taken from a safe public location and should avoid unnecessary personal information.

Include your name and contact details if you want staff to clarify the report. Residents may also mention previous service requests, related construction, damaged signs, or seasonal patterns. Avoid altering signs, placing unofficial signs, painting markings, or installing traffic devices yourself.

How to submit the request

Use the City’s published Public Works contact methods and provide a concise subject such as “traffic study request” or “speeding concern.” State whether the issue involves a street segment, intersection, sign, crosswalk, parking pattern, or another traffic condition. If the city provides a service-request form or designated department email, use the current instructions shown on its official website.

A written request should contain the following information:

Exact street address, intersection, or nearby landmark
Description of the traffic or roadway concern
Dates, times, and frequency of the observed condition
Direction of travel or affected side of the street
Relevant photos, videos, or supporting documents, when safely obtained
Your contact information and preferred method of follow-up

After submission, keep the confirmation number or copy of the message. If several residents are reporting the same concern, each person may submit a separate factual account, while avoiding duplicate messages that do not add new information.

What happens during city review

Public Works staff may first determine whether the request belongs with traffic engineering, streets, stormwater, code enforcement, law enforcement, or another agency. A traffic complaint can involve multiple issues, so referral does not necessarily mean the concern has been dismissed.

For a traffic engineering review, staff may inspect the location, consult roadway records, examine collision information, collect field data, or coordinate with other city departments. Some studies can be completed through existing records; others may require equipment, scheduling, funding, or additional technical analysis.

The city may respond with education, maintenance, sign repair, restriping, parking changes, enforcement coordination, a recommendation for further design work, or no immediate change. Traffic controls are selected according to established safety practices rather than by the number of requests alone. A response may also explain why a requested device is not recommended at that location.

Concern reported	Information that helps	Possible review focus
Speeding	Time of day, direction, frequency, estimated speeds	Speed data, roadway design, enforcement coordination
Intersection conflicts	Turning movements, near misses, visibility concerns	Sight distance, signs, striping, control devices
Pedestrian safety	Crossing location, walking times, nearby destinations	Crosswalk conditions, access, visibility, vehicle behavior
Heavy trucks	Vehicle type, route, schedule, roadway effects	Truck patterns, restrictions, pavement or routing issues
Parking problems	Block location, duration, obstruction details	Curb use, sight lines, access, parking regulation

How to make the request more effective

A strong report remains factual and specific. Avoid identifying individual drivers or making claims that cannot be verified. Explain the effect on safety, access, visibility, or traffic flow and distinguish what you personally observed from what you heard from others.

Use the following practices when preparing a request:

Describe one primary concern per submission when possible.
Provide precise locations and recurring time periods.
Attach only relevant, safely collected evidence.
Report damaged or missing signs separately if the city provides a maintenance channel.
Save the submission record and any follow-up response.

Public Works may need additional information before making a recommendation. Respond promptly if staff requests clarification, and understand that a formal study may take time when data collection, interdepartmental review, or budget analysis is required.

Submit a well-documented traffic concern through the City of Susanville’s current Public Works contact process, then retain the confirmation for your records. Clear location details and reliable observations give municipal staff the best foundation for evaluating conditions and selecting an appropriate next step.