At the Dayton Traffic Garden, It’s Always Safety First

PHOTOGRAPH BY GRANT MOXLEY

Northern Kentucky kids have a fun new way to learn about traffic safety in a controlled environment—and right in their own neighborhood. The Dayton “traffic garden” goes beyond the typical dos and don’ts of traffic safety. “It teaches children how the built environment helps facilitate different transportation choices and how better design and engineering can enable healthier, safer, and more sustainable modes of transportation,” says project manager Caitlin Sparks.

The kid-sized course features everything from roundabouts to railroad crossings and is accessible for kids and adults on wheels and on foot. It permanently opened in October 2023, just months after the city tested a temporary chalk version for neighborhood feedback. “Children navigate the small-scale network of streets on foot and bikes, learning important life lessons, and adults gain a better understanding of a young person’s needs and experiences,” Sparks says. “In small and grand ways, we believe traffic gardens help us all sharpen our focus on safety and accessibility so that we may build healthier, more equitable, and vibrant communities.”