Submitted by Child Care Action Council
Children in Thurston County have a new opportunity for hands-on learning and play with the grand opening of the Mountain View Elementary Bicycle Community Streetscape. The permanent traffic garden installation was completed in early June 2021 and is now ready for visitors. This miniature streetscape, located on the Mountain View Elementary playground, provides a safe and engaging space for youth in the community to learn and practice bicycle and pedestrian safety skills in a safe environment away from vehicles. The streetscape includes bike lanes, stop lines, crosswalks, and roundabouts to help children become confident, safe bicycle riders.
The traffic garden will be used by the Mountain View school community as part of their physical education program during school hours and is open for use by youth and families during non-school hours. “Mountain View’s traffic garden will provide experiential learning where children in the community learn the rules of the road and grow their safety skills in a secure environment,” shared Safe Kids Thurston County Coordinator, Danielle King. “Our goal is to contribute to a safer, healthier Thurston County where children have opportunities to explore sustainable forms of transportation like bicycling and walking.”
The Mountain View traffic garden is the result of an inter-agency partnership between Child Care Action Council’s Safe Kids Thurston County program, Intercity Transit’s Walk N Roll program, North Thurston Public Schools, and Alliance for a Healthier Generation. The traffic garden was made possible with funding from State Farm and volunteer efforts from members of the community. The Mountain View Elementary community participated in planning and design efforts.
