What is a Traffic Garden?
A traffic garden is a designated area — usually on a paved street, a network of streets, or a paved lot — with traffic features but without any motorized vehicles. At a traffic garden (also known as a traffic park or playground), young people and adult learners can develop skills related to general bike riding abilities, as well as navigating streets, intersections, and crossings. C-U Safe Routes to School project, working with Community Learning Lab student interns, created a proposal to transform Bliss Drive near Orchard Downs into a robust traffic garden so that individuals in the community can learn the skills needed to safely and lawfully ride their bicycles.
Why have a Traffic Garden?
Traffic Gardens offer learners the ability to practice navigating roadways in an environment where they are able to make mistakes without being at risk for major injury. Biking promotes healthy habits in children and adults, and, at its core, these learners will also be developing a useful transportation skill, which they can and will use for the rest of their lives.
