Burlington, VT

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024

Project Category: Public or private transit access

Description: Older adults and riders with mobility challenges often waited on uneven surfaces at Burlington-area bus stops lacking seating and ADA-compliant pads. GMT addressed this by installing five compact benches and four slip-resistant concrete pads at high-ridership stops near local communities. The project also featured a Ride Together event where older residents learned to navigate schedules, apps and fare payment. These upgrades improved safety, comfort and visibility, and Burlington officials are considering expanding the seating model citywide. Early feedback has been positive, with riders and community members praising the benches and noting increased use.

Miami, FL

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018

Project Category: Public or private transit access

Description: Residents of Miami's Little Havana neighborhood wanted to improve the transit experience for the area's older adults. To do this, Urban Health Partnerships installed a dozen single and double-seat benches under shade trees near high-ridership bus and trolley stops. Little Havana residents use public transit at three times the rate of Miami-Dade County's general populace. Organizers say the new benches provide a welcome place to rest as they walk through the community or wait for transit.

Willmar, MN

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022

Project Category: Public or private transit access

Description: Older adults and people with disabilities in rural Minnesota faced transportation barriers, limiting access to health care and community life. MMDC distributed 2,100 transit tokens and childcare passes, and introduced electric-assist tricycles at facilities to promote independence. These efforts reduced isolation, encouraged transit use and fostered intergenerational interaction. A project organizer noted that one resident has now been able to resume ridership and that she now enjoys a regained sense of independence. Stronger ties with with the community will guide future mobility planning.