Waynesboro has “a long way to go” when it comes to being user-friendly for pedestrians and cyclists, according to one expert.
The city has made some strides in recent years with the addition of the South River Greenway, trails at Sunset Park, and its newest addition, a traffic garden designed to teach kids the rules of the road.
“It’s nice that they [the city] have these designated areas, like the traffic playground and the Greenway and the trails in Sunset Park, these are all great things, but you really need to have more bike friendly roads here in the city,” said Steve Garon, the Safe Routes to School and Health Community Action Team coordinator for the Office on Youth.
There had been plans for more bike lanes in the city at one time, he said, and he’s unsure why that never happened, but said cost may have been a factor.
Some of the challenges for users stem from things the city can’t control, like railroad tracks. There are also some really bad roads like Delphine Avenue and Bridge Street that make biking in the city a challenge, he said.
The biggest issue, however, is a lack of signalized crossings for both walkers and those on a bike, Garon said.
Waynesboro seems to recognize the challenges of pedestrians, cyclists and drivers in the area from Grandview Drive to Northgate Avenue, including Rosser Avenue and Lew Dewitt Boulevard.
The city surveyed residents and those who use the roads around Town Center and Walmart last month to get input on what those who use the roads view as the biggest issues.
The corridor includes several crash hot spots and lacks connections for apartment dwellers to get to nearby businesses across the street.
In 2022, a 73-year-old pedestrian was seriously injured when he was struck trying to cross Rosser Avenue. While that incident made headlines, it’s surely not the only accident involving pedestrians trying to cross the busy stretch of road.
“I am pleased to see that they had a survey out for Rosser because, I mean, that’s, that’s such an ugly stretch right there, especially with all those businesses, and there are apartments right there, so people need to get from those apartments,” Garon said. “A lot of people don’t have cars, or don’t want to get in their cars, you know, to basically cross the street to get to Martin’s or Walmart or what have you.”
Any changes, unfortunately, take a long time to implement for a variety of reasons, and the process can be “frustrating,” Garon told AFP.
“I would trade some bike facilities for better pedestrian facilities, because not everybody rides, but almost everybody walks, you know, and so I think that is that seems to be the priority there, in my opinion, you know, definitely on Rosser.”
The city could also use additional sidewalks and crosswalks on Broad Street and Main Street so people don’t have to walk a half a mile in some cases to cross and a half of a mile back to cross again when they leave.
The survey was one step in preparing a study of the area that the city hopes to complete by 2026.
A safe place to learn the rules of the road
The City of Waynesboro Parks and Recreation Department, the Central Shenandoah Valley Office on Youth and the Rotary Club of Waynesboro recently held a grand opening celebration for a traffic garden located near the old DuPont plant in Waynesboro.
All three agencies played a role in creating a safe and fun space for children to learn to ride a bike.
While the ribbon cutting was delayed until last month, the playground was open to the public beginning in October.
“From the second the paint hit the pavement, even before the official opening, kids and families have been utilizing the space on their bikes, rollerblades and scooters,” said Stephanie Seltzer, who served as the project manager with the Waynesboro’s Parks and Recreation Department. “It’s a little world of its own nestled in the meadow of the South River Preserve.”
The Rotary Club of Waynesboro pitched in on the effort as part of its Centennial celebration wanting to leave a lasting mark on the community.
“After months of planning, design, and installation work, it’s incredibly rewarding to see children enjoying their bikes in a safe environment that helps them build confidence and learn the rules of the road,” said Lora Hamp, president of the noon Rotary club. “Through our Centennial project, we wanted to create something impactful and lasting for our community, and the Rotary traffic playground reflects that vision.
“We hope the traffic playground becomes a place where families gather and children have the opportunity to learn and explore for many years to come continuing our club’s legacy of service far into the future,” she said.
With warmer weather, the traffic garden is bustling with activity with children on two wheels utilizing the recreation area, located near the South River Greenway – a stone’s throw from the South River. The area has a few benches and a picnic table for families to watch their children using the park.
“It’s really nice just to walk past there and just see how much it has been used. On any nice weather day from October forward, it was pretty crowded with young families, with kids,” Garon said. “It’s a nice place for parents that have little ones and strollers but also slightly larger kids who are able to propel themselves on scooters or balance bikes or training wheels or what have you, they’re out there. It’s really nice space for that.”
In the work Garon does, he said, it’s nice to see the emphasis on safety.
Kids can learn basic road rules with stop and yield signs on the pavement as well as other features aimed to prepare children before they ever get on the road for the first time.
“I like to think that today’s bike riders are tomorrow’s drivers, so anything that we can do now to help them learn those rules before they get beyond the wheel of a car is a good thing too.”
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Crystal Graham
