Laying Down the Pavement

5 Tips For Preventing Speed Bump Damages On Asphalt

11 October 2021 by Clifton Sullivan

Speed bumps can be an integral component of maintaining a safe environment for cars and pedestrians in your parking lot, but they may seem to degrade and break down more quickly than the rest of the asphalt. The following tips can help keep the bumps in good repair. 

1. Keep It Painted 

Cars hitting a speed bump too fast can damage both the vehicle and the paving. One way to minimize this is to make sure the bumps are easily visible to drivers. Re-paint speed bumps in the signature bright yellow color at least once a year. This way you know they can be easily seen.

2. Monitor Drainage

A speed bump can sometimes act like a dam, collecting water against its surface that will then increase the chances of a pothole forming right up against the bump. Ideally, speed bumps are installed at an angle and grade that shunts water to a nearby gutter or storm drain. Failing that, your maintenance service may need to install a drain at the base of the speed bump to prevent drainage issues. 

3. Repair Cracks

Cracks can form in the speed bump or in the asphalt surrounding it. If ignored, the cracks will soon turn into crumbling pavement thanks to the extra duress speed bumps experience from constant traffic hitting them at both lower and higher speeds. Your asphalt maintenance service can quickly repair cracks with a hot patch, which is heated so that it bonds securely with the surrounding asphalt. The patching material is a mix of asphalt and flexible resins that help guard against further cracking in the future.

4. Use Snow Poles

Snowplows can sometimes be the cause of damage on an asphalt speed bump. The blade of the plow is set level to the parking lot surface, so it can gouge a speed bump when it runs up against it. Installing snow poles on either side of a bump come winter can notify the plow driver of the bump location so they can raise the plow blade accordingly.

5. Consider an Upgrade

If constant degradation of the speed bumps has become an ongoing problem, then consider bolt-on bumps. These are typically made of rubber or a similar material. They are bolted into the asphalt parking lot securely so they won't move and damage the paving. Unlike traditional paved bumps, these can be removed and replaced much more easily as they degrade naturally. You will still need to maintain the asphalt paving around the bump. 

Contact an asphalt paving maintenance service if you need more help maintaining the speed bumps in your parking lot.  

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