In 2025, Franklin Regional Council of Government’s (FRCOG) Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) included a task to explore creative initiatives to encourage all ages to walk and bicycle. After conducting research on age-friendly creative transportation projects, the FRCOG staff decided to work to create a traffic garden with a Franklin County community. After completing outreach to potential community partners, the FRCOG worked with Sheffield Elementary School in Montague to create a traffic garden.

A traffic garden is a miniature streetscape that can be used to help children learn the rules of the road in a controlled setting. It is designed to be a scale for walking, bicycling, or another human-powered vehicle. Traffic gardens foster experiential learning for various age groups using recreation and play as an educational tool. The intention is to learn the rules of the road and develop confidence.

This report (PDF, 1.25 MB) outlines lessons learned for the planning and installing of traffic gardens, and includes links to toolkits, model agreements and other resources.

The FRCOG owns stencils for traffic gardens. To learn more or inquire about borrowing our stencils, please contact Audrey Boraski, Land Use and Transportation Planner.