Houston Acres, Kentucky · Updated August 28, 2026 · Not affiliated with or operated by the City of Houston Acres.
Resident-led request to the City Commission
The engineer recommended removing the Houston Boulevard rumble strips, and on August 27 the City Commission voted 2–1 to remove them. Residents support the safety goal and welcome a quieter path forward.
Background and supporting record
The installation history, location map, public commitments, and earlier meeting update remain available below.
How the issue began
In April 2026, the City of Houston Acres installed two rumble strips on the first block of Houston Boulevard. The goal was to slow speeders cutting through the neighborhood — a goal the residents beside the strips genuinely share.
Residents were not notified beforehand and report that the repeated noise and vibration began when the strips were installed.
The City has since completed an engineering review and voted to remove the strips. The timing and method of removal are still being arranged.
What residents are experiencing
Nearby residents describe three recurring effects since the strips were installed.
Vehicle crossings can be heard indoors, including with windows closed.
Box trucks, trailers, and other large vehicles can produce a stronger impact felt through parts of the homes.
The repeated sound affects the normal use of porches, front yards, and backyards.
Public record
The noise and vibration were “completely unforeseen.”
— City Commission, May meeting“We could have done a better job communicating to the residents around where that was going to happen. We can own that.”
— City Commission, June 25 meetingThe City identified an engineer to review Houston Boulevard and contacted Louisville Metro Public Works to consider options.
— Reported at the July 30 meetingThe mayor agreed to residents' request that the engineer attend a meeting to explain the report and answer questions. He also said the information would be available to residents and the decision would be made in public.
— Commitments described at the July 30 meetingResident observations can be passed along for the engineer to consider.
— Agreed at the July 30 meetingOur position
Ten households asked the City to complete the engineer review, include affected residents, and replace the strips with a quieter traffic-safety solution. The review is now complete and the Commission has voted for removal.
The report found that the existing strips are not the preferred device for this residential setting, especially where noise is a concern.
The Commission voted 2–1 on August 27 to remove the strips as soon as the work can be arranged.
The City has not approved speed humps or another replacement. Residents and the Commission agree that any next step should be worked through together, with informed neighborhood input before a decision.
An important distinction: The removal vote did not approve speed humps. The Commission treated a replacement as a separate decision for later discussion.
August 27 Commission meeting
The engineering review is complete. It recommends removing the current strips, and the Commission voted 2–1 to remove them as soon as the work can be arranged. A replacement traffic-calming measure has not been approved.
The engineer's recommendation
“Therefore, we are recommending that the Rumble Strip/Speed Bumps be removed and either one of two options be implemented and installed on Houston Blvd:”
The report then outlines one- and two-speed-hump options. The Commission voted to remove the existing strips, but did not approve either replacement option.
Read the engineer's full reportThe engineer's conclusion: The City's speed data “does not warrant rumble strips based on the 85th percentile.”
High-speed trips fell. Before installation, 73 of 21,276 recorded vehicles (0.34%) traveled at or above 35 mph. After installation, 51 of 56,400 vehicles (0.09%) did so.
The 85th-percentile speed is the speed at or below which 85% of recorded drivers travel; the fastest 15% travel above it. Engineers use this measure to understand the prevailing speed of traffic instead of basing a decision only on the small number of fastest vehicles.
Overall trips may not have changed meaningfully. Although the report describes a reduction in trips, it compares raw totals from periods of very different lengths. When those totals are divided by the number of days, average daily traffic differs by less than 1%. The counts therefore do not establish a meaningful reduction in overall trips, even though the share traveling at or above 35 mph declined.
The report also places the nearest houses about 55 feet from the strips and says noise-dissipation guidance would call for a setback of up to 300 feet.
Resident observations, the ten-household petition, the engineering review, and public discussion all helped move this issue toward a quieter outcome while keeping traffic safety at the center.
July 30, 2026
The City reported that it had identified an engineer, contacted Louisville Metro Public Works, and accepted the ten-household petition into the record.
That process led to the August engineering report and the Commission's August 27 removal vote.
June 25, 2026
On June 25, 2026, Houston Boulevard residents spoke to the City Commission. Here is what came out of that meeting.
That commitment led to the engineer engagement announced at the July 30 meeting. The latest information is in the update above.
Why the process matters
The engineer's findings support residents' central concern: the current installation is not the preferred traffic-calming tool for this residential block where noise is a concern. The Commission has now voted for removal. The next public question is whether another measure is needed and, if so, which option best balances safety, quiet, cost, and neighborhood impact.
Public meeting
The Commission meets on the last Thursday of each month. The strips' removal schedule and any future traffic-calming proposal may be discussed at a public meeting.
Anyone may attend to hear updates, ask questions, or take part in the next phase of the process.
Thursday, September 24th · 7:00 PM
Keep in touch
We will share removal progress, next-step proposals, and important meeting information when they become available.