Dayton, Ky., is getting a safety town to teach kids about bikes, road patterns and riding in traffic.
Gov. Andy Beshear announced the $25,000 federal grant. "As a dad, it is so important to me that every single Kentuckian child has access to safe outdoor spaces and I am grateful for this grant that will improve bike and pedestrian safety for children across our commonwealth," he said.
The grant is designed to specifically reach low-income communities.
The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) and the National Road Safety Foundation (NRSF) funded projects in three states to work with community-based groups representing underserved populations to provide safe youth mobility options like walking, biking or riding a scooter.
A news release says the Kentucky Office of Highway Safety is partnering with Tri-State Trails on the traffic garden project. Tri-State Trails is an alliance of community advocates advancing a vision to connect and expand the trail and bikeway network throughout Greater Cincinnati.
"Traffic gardens are an interactive space where children can have fun, be active and learn about traffic safety," said Wade Johnston, executive director of Tri-State Trails. "We're excited to partner with Kentucky Office of Highway Safety, GHSA, NRSF, and the city of Dayton to create this unique educational feature for the public to enjoy, just off the Riverfront Commons trail in Dayton."
The location will be in Gil Lynn Park at 203 Greendevil Lane, and is projected to open in November. In June, a spokesperson says Tri-State Trails will host a pop-up bike shop at the park, where they'll offer free bicycle repair and free bike gear, as well as set up a temporary traffic garden design in order to get community feedback.
The release says this project will complement other initiatives the Cabinet is undertaking to boost accessibility and safety for all modes of travel. "The city of Dayton has been undergoing efforts to make our city more pedestrian- and bike-friendly, including slowing down traffic on our streets and educating the driving public about how to share our streets with these individuals," said Dayton Mayor Ben Baker.
He adds, "The new traffic garden proposed for Gil Lynn Park will promote these goals and provide a beautiful, interactive space for children and families to discuss the importance of traffic safety in a fun and engaging way and make our community a safer place."
