From center right, Tiereny Williams, mother of Alaysha, holds the scissors as Alexia Williams, Alexander Williams Sr., Alexander Williams and Gená Combs, before cutting at Ed White High School, during a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a traffic garden honoring Alaysha Williams, Wednesday, April 1, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. Alaysha Williams was an Ed White High student-athlete killed by a hit-and-run driver in 2024. Traffic gardens are a safety-focused public art areas designed for youth and new riders to practice biking and safety in an automobile-free environment. Alaysha Williams was one of at least 14 Duval County Public Schools students hit by vehicles in the 2024-25 school year, when DCPS rolled out the “Be Safe. Be Seen” traffic safety campaign. Williams was killed on Blanding Boulevard, not at the school campus. The event was organized by the school district, the city planning department’s pedestrian and bike office, and Blue Zones Project Jacksonville, an initiative to help people live longer.
