Hello;

The bicycle safety traffic garden that we demonstrated and you supported at Bike Palo Alto needs your support to get a permanent home! The Traffic Garden needs your help and support by:

Attending the parks and recreation meeting Tuesday June 25th, 7pm at Palo Alto City Hall.
Expressing and showing your support for a permanent bicycle safety traffic garden installation at the meeting.

Because of your support and enthusiasm, the Ventura Community Center in Midtown has offered to host the first permanent installation bicycle safety traffic garden!  At the June 25th meeting of the Palo Alto Parks and Recreation Commission, the commissioners will vote on approving the installation and forwarding it to the City Council for inclusion in the city plan. 

A traffic garden consists of a series of small streets with common traffic elements where kids can learn through play. It is like a play kitchen but for roads and biking. Hands on practice helps solidify skills and makes them easier to apply to on road situations. 

A traffic garden would provide a place for children and their families to practice hands on bike safety skills off road. It removes barriers such as scheduling, commitment, lack of motivation, and fear of injury from bike safety lessons and practice. The traffic garden will also help reduce bike related accidents and injury in the community furthering the city’s goal of zero severe injuries and roadway fatalities.

Hands-on bike safety education is only available once to students during the 3rd grade Bike Rodeo. Many children do not get the full benefit of the lesson because they are learning to ride while simultaneously being taught safety lessons. Older students and adults would also benefit from more easily accessible and safe places to practice bicycle safety skills as the only other place is active roads. 

You can make an impact saving lives and improving the biking community of Palo alto. Please support the installation of a permanent traffic garden. Again please:

 Support the installation of a permanent traffic garden at the Ventura Community Center
Attend the parks and recreation meeting Tuesday June 25th, 7pm at City Hall.

Thank you for your consideration of accessible bike safety education. A safer biking community in Palo Alto depends on your support.