Waynesboro's traffic garden will help new bicyclists learn to ride safely

WAYNESBORO — Waynesboro will soon be getting a space for new riders to safely learn how to negotiate bicycles along a network of streets, free of cars.

The Rotary Traffic Playground, which is scheduled to open this fall next to Constitution Park on a portion of the old DuPont parking lot, is what is known as a traffic garden. It's a set of small-sized streets with scaled-down traffic features where children and other new riders can practice on bikes. The one in Waynesboro will include stop and yield signs, as well as pedestrian crosswalks, just like real city streets. It will serve as a controlled environment where kids can gain confidence and master skills.

It's a joint project between the Central Shenandoah Valley Office on Youth, the Rotary Club of Waynesboro and the Waynesboro Parks and Recreation Department.

Steve Garon of the Office on Youth said his organization runs two programs that will benefit from the traffic playground. One is the Safe Routes to School program, of which Garon is the coordinator. That program encourages students to bike or walk to school. The other is the Healthy Community Action Team, which works to prevent childhood obesity.

"These two things dovetail," Garon said. "We're trying to get kids walking and biking more often as a means to keep their weight in check."

Finding locations for new riders to learn to safely navigate bicycles, away from cars, is not easy. About three years ago the Office on Youth approached the Parks and Recreation Department about the idea. Garon said this has been a true partnership between the three organizations involved.

Waynesboro Parks and Rec will maintain the property. Office on Youth obviously has an interest as it encourages more youth to ride bikes and provides instruction for safe riding. That left the funding, which wasn't available. Enter the Rotary Club of Waynesboro.

Beginning July 1, the Waynesboro chapter of Rotary will be celebrating its 100th anniversary. It was looking for a project to give back to the community. Initially there were several ideas, but when the traffic garden was presented, Rotary members thought it was a great idea.

"We just really value service," said Lora Hamp, president-elect of the club. "In fact our motto is service above self. We are excited to have this opportunity to give back to the community."

The Rotary Club of Waynesboro will fund a minimum of $25,000 for the project, enough to get the traffic garden installed. Rotary will also give hands-on assistance with project design and installation. Hamp said other local Rotary Clubs have also offered to assist with the project.

"It's bringing a lot of people together to give back in a really meaningful way," Hamp said.

Planning for the traffic garden began in December. Garon said the current design is based on a sketch by a Rotary Club member. When the designer was hired for the traffic garden, Garon said she was extremely impressed by the initial sketch.

Garon said he believes the $25,000 will cover the cost. That includes the design, installation, paint, benches, trash cans, bike racks and a storage shed.

"Its proximity to the Greenway is great," Garon said. "There's a natural graduation from mastering the traffic garden to being able to ride on the Greenway with other riders."

The traffic garden will be open to the general public. While it's being built for bicycles, Garon said roller skates or scooters are welcome.

"We are so excited about this," Garon said. "It's infectious."

What about Staunton?

After Waynesboro gets a traffic garden, could Staunton be next? The Office on Youth is supported by Staunton, Waynesboro and Augusta County, and Garon said he'd love to get a similar project in Staunton. He doesn't plan to approach Staunton officials until the Waynesboro project is complete, but he is thinking about that next step.

He'll start with Staunton Parks and Recreation to see if there is a chance to use some of the parking lot in Gypsy Hill Park near the football stadium. The area was used for a temporary recycling center for two years, from July 2021 until June 2023.

"If they didn't need that for all that time, they could clearly dedicate that space to something else," Garon said.

Once the Waynesboro project is complete, Garon will also start looking for funding for the Staunton project.

"I think Staunton needs it more than Waynesboro," he said. "Simply because of topography. At least in Waynesboro there are some flat spaces to learn to ride. Not so much in Staunton."

More: Waynesboro increases water and sewer rates, keeps tax rates level

More: Final Staunton West End workshop comes to a close

— Patrick Hite is The News Leader's education reporter. Story ideas and tips always welcome. Contact Patrick (he/him/his) at phite@newsleader.com and follow him on Twitter @Patrick_Hite. Subscribe to us at newsleader.com.

This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Waynesboro's traffic garden will help new bicyclists learn to ride safely