Small Steps, Safer Streets

Last spring, the city asked children to draw maps of their neighbourhood.

The maps showed something surprising: kids hated the busy road near the primary school.

Every morning, they had to cross four lanes of traffic, and many parents drove their children instead of letting them walk.

The city planner, Ms.

Chen, read the maps carefully and decided to act.

First, she made the crossing wider and added bright colours, so drivers could see children waiting.

Then, she built a small park on an empty corner, giving families a safe place to stop and talk.

Because the new park was close to the school, fewer cars waited outside the gate.

Ms.

Chen also asked the children what they wanted next; they asked for trees and a bench.

Six months later, more children walk to school, and parents say the street feels calmer.

The city now plans to use the same idea in three other areas.