For parents preparing to give their kids a bit more independence on the way to school, Parque Zaragoza in East Austin now offers a scaled-down street network where children and new riders can practice biking and road safety in a low-risk setting.

The big picture

The new traffic garden was created through a partnership between the Austin Parks Foundation, the Austin Parks and Recreation Department and Amigos de Parque Zaragoza. Along with the bike-friendly street network, the project added benches, picnic tables, accessible walkways and ramps, as well as pavement games and activities.

In 2024, Amigos de Parque Zaragoza—a community group participating in the Austin Park Foundation's Adopt-A-Park program—saw potential to turn an underused parking lot next to the recreation center into a space for community activities. Park improvements were completed via a $150,000 grant from the Austin Parks Foundation.

“This project represents our community's commitment to improving Austin’s green spaces in a way that benefits all park users by transforming unused space at Parque Zaragoza into a vibrant learning environment with expanded recreation activities and amenities,” Austin Parks Foundation CEO Colin Wallis said in a statement.