Traffic Garden Designs Newsletter No. 4

So, what's in a name? Quite a lot of names for the same thing as it turns out. In English alone, I've identified 38 different names for a ‘traffic garden’. ‘Safety-Rama Town’ is a very recent find so I expect to dig up a few more yet. Around the world, I've documented more than 100 additional terms across 32 languages, including 15 in Spanish, 6 in French, and 4 in Finnish. I keep them all in a spreadsheet and it just keeps growing.

The variety and range of names reflects regional differences and the many ways communities think about these spaces, from biking education and road safety to fun and play. Understanding the history of the names helps me better appreciate how the concept has evolved and ways it continues to resonate in so many different places.

This week's conversation with John Simmerman of Active Towns touches on many of these themes and plenty more. We wandered through the history of traffic gardens, why they continue to evolve, and some of the great examples along the way. Tomorrow (Friday 7/17), I'm looking forward to joining John at 2:00pm ET for the YouTube Premiere of our discussion. I'll be in the live chat ready to answer your questions, typos and all. Make sure to give the video a thumbs up, leave a comment and share with friends. For more information about the Active Towns effort, visit the website and check out the other ways to support John’s great work. Tune in tomorrow to hear our fun chat!

Also, don’t miss our announcement below about an exciting contest - coming soon with big prizes for some lucky school communities.

Traffic Garden Field Guide:

This month: Evaluating a Potential Traffic Garden Site

I have another new resource to help communities through the traffic garden process. Once you've found some potential locations, the Evaluating a Potential Traffic Garden Site guide can help you compare and assess your options. Choosing the right site is one of the most important steps and this short guide is designed to help you evaluate spaces that could be successfully transformed into a traffic garden.

To make this process easier, we've included a Site Suitability Scoring System that helps distinguish between potential deal-breakers and issues that can be addressed through site improvements, giving you greater confidence in selecting a location. It also helps you compare multiple spots, making it easier to decide which site is the best fit for your project.

This guide is available for purchase in our on-line shop, and the full cost is refunded with any subsequent traffic garden plan set purchase.

In Search of Traffic Gardens

Beyond the U.S., I've visited traffic gardens in Bulgaria, the Netherlands, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Ireland, with Sweden next on my list when I visit my son in Stockholm at the end of July. Seeing how different countries design, install, and use these spaces gives me new ideas and a broader perspective that directly informs my work, helping me bring practical, proven approaches back to the communities I serve.

Of course, Sweden is the birthplace of Vision Zero, so you know I’ll also be keeping a close eye on the pedestrian and bicycling features built into Stockholm’s street design and landscape.

Coming Soon: Back to School Traffic Garden Plan Set Contest

We're excited to announce our Back-to-School Traffic Garden Plan Set Contest! Beginning in mid-August, schools across the U.S. will have the chance to enter to win one of three Traffic Garden Designs plan sets. Each winning school will be able to choose the layout that best fits its site from our collection of ready-to-install designs, helping bring hands-on bicycle and pedestrian education to students.

Want to be the first to know when the contest opens? Drop me a line at Finn@TrafficGardens.com, and we'll send you all the details as soon as entries begin. Full details will be included in our August newsletter also.