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Altadena Town Council Safe Streets Committee (2021) Print
2021 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Transportation
└ Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
└ Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
Altadena's Loma Alta Park is a destination for Los Angeles County residents. But visitors lacked a safe way to access the park on foot. To reduce speed limits and make roads safer for pedestrians, the Altadena Town Council's Safe Streets Committee installed temporary Slow Street signage at park access points that lacked walkable, bikeable or equestrian-friendly design features. They also set up a pop-up sidewalk alongside the park, offsetting it from traffic with white poles and red No Parking curb paint. The Committee then hosted a community walk and ride day that led residents on foot, on bikes and on scooters from the park to nearby nature trails. Organizers say the pop-up project raised awareness of the need for better pedestrian infrastructure and traffic calming in the area.
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Hamlin, WV
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018
Project Category: Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
Description: Although Hamlin's residents can access regional bus service, most parts of the community lack transit access and pedestrian infrastructure. To make the community less car-centric, Lincoln County Friends of the Arts installed several artistic crosswalks. They engaged residents to design murals, which volunteers painted on the pavement. The colorful crosswalks draw catch drivers' attention, making them more likely to notice people crossing the street. Organizers hope the traffic calming installations will improve safety for pedestrian and cyclists, ultimately improving mobility throughout the small town.
Tallulah, LA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019
Project Category: Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
Description: The City of Tallulah set out to beautify a walkway in its central business district. The area is home to many community resources, including a grocery store, bank, post office, library, retail stores and public offices. In addition to giving people a pleasant route to walk, the project made crosswalks more visible to drivers, making crossing the street safer.
Jamestown, ND
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019
Project Category: Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
Description: Jamestown's Parks and Recreation Department hosted a pop-up event to test the viability of a path connecting the existing Jamestown River Trail with the local university, high school and activity center. They deployed traffic cones and signage to cordon off a temporary route for bikes and pedestrians along Highway 20. Organizers collected community feedback before and after the Pop-Up Walk/Bike Trail event, hoping to use the responses in future grant funding applications. "That's what we're looking for input on, where do folks want to cross the road," said Amy Walters, director of the Two Rivers Activity Center. "What is going to make people feel the safest?" Of those surveyed, 94 percent of people said they would like to see a permanent path installed along the route, with 62 percent of people saying they would use it at least four days a week. Since the project a committee has continued to meet to create a plan to connect existing paths in Jamestown and explore funding options.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Los Angeles, CA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Activities that address social isolation and facilitate community connections
Description: The Echo Park Film Center invited older community members to share their life stories via film. Twenty participants provided photos and memorabilia from their lives and recorded their voices, which EPFC staff and students used to create a short video for each person. The organization then held an outdoor screening to share the films with the community. "One thing you realize when getting older is that your experiences are never lost, and you retrieve them at different parts of your life. And when you move on and most need it, it reappears and you are pleasantly amazed. And this is one of those experiences," participant Ida Talalla said in her video. "The Echo Park Film Center gave me a chance to be creative with my reflections."
Compton, CA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: Residents of Compton lack access to greenspace compared to their neighbors in other parts of Los Angeles County. Over several years, the Los Angeles Conservation Corps has worked to create the Compton Creek Natural Park, giving neighbors of all ages a place to gather outdoors. As part of those efforts, the nonprofit hosted a community tree planting event. After receiving training on the importance of native tree species and their care, volunteers worked to removed old trees on the site and replace them with new, drought-tolerant species. Additionally, they planted native vegetation. Organizers say the new park will improve residents' mental and physical health, give them a place to socialize and foster environmental stewardship.
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