10/23/2025
🚲✨ Fall River Traffic Garden Demonstration Project – A Huge Success! ✨🚲
📍 Father Travassos Park
📅 October 18, 2025
We’re still buzzing from the excitement of our first-ever Traffic Garden event in Fall River! Families from across the city came together to ride, learn, and celebrate safe biking in a fun, welcoming environment. The energy was high, the smiles were endless, and the impact was real. 💙
Using a vibrant Pop-Up Traffic Garden course painted directly onto the park pavement, kids and parents had the chance to:
🚴 Practice safe riding in a controlled space
🚦 Learn and apply traffic rules
🧠 Build confidence with skills like scanning, yielding, and signaling
🗺️ Explore how the park connects neighborhoods and promotes safer travel
We were especially thrilled to see parents riding alongside their kids, sharing in the joy and learning together!
By the numbers:
✅ 25+ free bikes for kids
✅ ~60 helmets distributed
✅ 100+ goodie bags, bike lights, and reflective wristbands
✅ On-site bike instruction and helmet fittings
✅ Visits from Mayor Coogan, Rep. Fiola, and Fall River Police (with their e-bikes!)
This event was made possible by an incredible team effort:
🛠️ Development & Creation:
-Love Your Block
-SRPEDD
-Massachusetts Safe Routes to School (SRTS)
-Fall River Mass in Motion
🎁 Generous Contributions:
Truesdale Health Foundation Inc. – Free helmets
Tufts Health Plan – Goodies and bags
Mass Bikes for All – Bike donations in various sizes
MassDOT – Provided the bike fleet used by SRTS for loaner bikes
🏫 Special Thanks:
City Councilor and Espírito Santo School Principal Andrew Raposo – For storing our bike donations and loaner bikes at the school and helping with all the necessary transport to the event
🙌 Shout-outs to our amazing volunteers:
Bonne DeSousa – Helped new riders learn to ride without training wheels
Marcia Picard – Provided expert helmet fittings
Fall River Police Department – Supported the event and rode alongside families
SRTS Outreach Coordinators, SRPEDD staff, and Mass in Motion team – For welcoming families, sharing resources, and keeping the event running smoothly
This event showcased the power of partnership and community commitment. Thank you to everyone who helped make it happen. Here’s to many more events that promote safe, active, and joyful living in Fall River! 🚦💫
