Gresham debuts first ‘Traffic Playground’ during National Bike Month finale

Published 1:28 pm Thursday, May 8, 2025

Two kids wearing helmets bike along marked lines on pavement that mimic street roads and signs
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Traffic playgrounds allow kids to practice various skills found on real roadways. (Courtesy photo: Bike Portland)
Two kids wearing helmets bike along marked lines on pavement that mimic street roads and signs
A red and blue plastic playground at Davis Park with bark around the structures and trees in the background

The city of Gresham is closing out National Bike Month, which is all about celebrating cycling, with the grand opening of a first-of-its-kind playground.

From 2-4 p.m. Friday, May 30, the city will unveil the Davis Park Traffic Playground at the eponymous park, 404 N.E. 194th Ave. The playground mimics elements of city streets, so kids can learn to ride and have fun away from any car traffic.

During that grand opening there will be free rental bikes and helmets for kids, as well as a few for adults as well.

Metro Regional Government dollars funded the new playground. It will feature travel lanes, crosswalks, stop signs and places to visit. It’s perfect for creative endeavors, getting children used to what the various signs and markings along real roadways mean, and just having fun biking/scootering/skating along a marked course.

Some activity ideas:

  • Practice bike hand signals
  • Have a neighborhood scavenger hunt
  • Play the right-of-way game to figure out who gets priority at intersections

This type of spaces have been pop-ups at various Gresham events, like National Night Out. But this new playground is a permanent addition.

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Davis Park is a 2.6-acre neighborhood park adjacent to Davis Elementary School in the Rockwood Neighborhood. There are walking paths and open lawn areas, a futsal court, skateboard park, two half-court basketball hoops, and picnic tables.