Milwaukee, WI

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025

Project Category: Walk Audits

Description: Older adults living near Humboldt Park faced walking conditions that made reaching the park and nearby destinations uncomfortable and, at times, unsafe. Unmarked crosswalks, uneven sidewalks, obstructed paths and short crossing times created challenges, especially for people using mobility aids. Humboldt Park Friends organized six walk audits that brought residents together to examine conditions firsthand and document issues block by block. One participant said they would never walk those streets the same way again after seeing how hazards stacked up within a single block. The findings were shared with residents and local officials, giving older adults a clearer voice in conversations about pedestrian safety and future improvements.

Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.

Dover-Foxcroft, ME

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025

Project Category: Walk Audits

Description: Central Hall Commons set out to address unsafe walking conditions downtown, where broken sidewalks, missing handrails and unreliable crossing signals pushed pedestrians into traffic. This made routine trips risky for older adults and people with limited mobility. Walk audits of Monument Square and Union Square documented steep sidewalk slopes, gaps at private properties, a crosswalk near an accident-prone intersection and signals that failed or were missing. One walker said confusion at crossings led them to "jump out ahead of vehicles," showing how failures shaped dangerous behavior. The project produced a formal audit with fixes, from repairing signals and closing sidewalk gaps to adding benches and traffic-calming treatments. The work elevated pedestrian safety in public decision-making. It is intended to influence near-term fixes and the scope of future improvements that better support older adults and other residents.

Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.

Houston, TX

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025

Project Category: Walk Audits

Description: Fit Houston addressed safety and access gaps that made walking difficult for older adults in several neighborhoods connected to a bayou trail corridor. Residents had limited opportunities to share firsthand concerns about sidewalks, crossings and routes they rely on to reach parks and everyday destinations. Through four walk audits, Fit Houston walked alongside residents, documented hazards and accessibility barriers and identified priority corridors frequently used by older adults. The effort also built local partnerships and equipped the team with the skills to conduct future audits. Findings from the audits elevated resident voices in county planning discussions and are shaping follow-up conversations with planners about funding and next steps. In some areas, the work prompted advocacy where residents described long-standing frustrations with local utility responsiveness, grounding future infrastructure plans in lived experience rather than assumptions.

Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.