The Speed Bump That Knows You’re Coming

Cheyenne Hua, 14, says she’s seen some pretty scary road accidents near her home, at the corner of Francis Lewis Blvd. and 47^th Ave. 

One, about two years ago, scared the little lady so much that it begat a creative obsession.

Hua wanted to create a traffic control that deters speeders, without penalizing drivers.

“Because the current design—which is just a static design—punishes every single car that goes across it,” said Hua. “For the people who are going the speed limit, there are some car designs that get damaged [over bumps] because of their low carriages,” the young scientist explained.

In June, the entry of her invention, a high tech speed bump that uses a detection device to raise itself only for cars speeding over the limit, made her a finalist of the 13^th Annual Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge.

She beat out hundreds of other competitors.

“Cheyenne Hua is a shining example of a bright young mind coupled with a fearless creativity that America needs going forward,” said Sen. Tony Avella, D-Bayside, who recently honored Hua in his office with a NYS Senate Certificate.

Her device is patented, and she hopes to see it put to good use eventually by the City.