Fort Myers, FL

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2017

Project Category: Bikeability

Description: Streets Alive partnered with four other organizations to hold a bike rodeo event for children in Fort Myers' Dunbar neighborhood. A dozen volunteers completed a training course on how to teach safe cycling skills. Another volunteer worked with Franklin Park Elementary School to obtain a supply of loaner bikes for the young participants. At the event, children went through a series of stations to be fitted with helmets, have their bikes inspected for safety and receive coaching on how to start, balance and stop their bikes. They learned cycling rules of the road, including hand signals and where to ride on the street. They also received training on how to stay safe as pedestrians when crossing intersections and facing traffic. The organization staged another bike rodeo in 2020.

Bismarck, ND

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2017

Project Category: Bikeability

Description: Officials in Bismarck wanted to gauge support for a proposed path connecting downtown to the riverfront, dubbed the Bismarck Central Pathway. This project created a temporary path for pedestrians and cyclists, allowing the City to get feedback from residents over several weeks. In addition to connecting existing sidewalks and trails, project organizers used hay bales, traffic cones and paint to block off a portion of the street for pedestrians and cyclists. To get input, they set up kiosks along the path where residents could write about their experience. They also created an online survey. Residents generally supported making the route permanent, as long as pedestrians are protected from street traffic. The City plants to use the feedback to determine the best route for the new path. Project organizers say the pop-up trail also inspired other pop-ups. Since 2017, Bismarck planning staff have tested a road diet, an intersection bump-out project and a one-way to two-way road conversion.

Mandan, ND

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024

Project Category: Bikeability

Description: Downtown Mandan lacked bike parking, making it harder for residents and visitors to choose biking over driving. The city installed 25 bike racks at key destinations, including near housing and services for older adults, and promoted biking through social media. The racks connect downtown to regional trails and doubled the city's bike parking options, encouraging active transportation and healthier lifestyles. The project also set the stage for future street upgrades and zoning changes to expand bike infrastructure. One older adult said having a safe place to park his bike while his car was in the shop let him stay active and run errands, showing the immediate benefit for mobility and independence.

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