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Black Cornerstones (2024) Print
2024 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Transportation
└ Walk Audits
└ Walk Audits
Unsafe sidewalks and crossings near 87th and Stony Island left older adults hesitant to walk and feeling isolated. Black Cornerstones audited 253 intersections, gathered resident stories and launched the Reimagine Stony Campaign. The effort produced a detailed walk plan, formed a walking club and hosted a block party to share findings. These steps sparked ongoing safety improvements and inspired similar efforts in other neighborhoods. One participant, age 84, said, "I used to be afraid to walk around my block, but now I feel safe and connected to my neighbors."
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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Greensboro, NC
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Walk Audits
Description: This project will partner with neighborhood organizations to conduct two meetings and two walk audits. The project will gather testimony to produce a community walk report for future street and sidewalk plans.
Albany, NY
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Walk Audits
Description: Central Avenue had a long record of severe crashes, making daily walking hazardous for older adults relying on the corridor for basic needs. Capital Streets led walk audits that documented long crossing distances, limited signals and infrastructure that made navigating the road stressful. They brought partners to see conditions firsthand and shared results through a report and public event to build pressure for stronger improvements in the coming redesign. The project energized community advocacy and set the stage for sustained work on safer crossings and signals for older adults.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Evansville, IN
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Walk Audits
Description: Broken sidewalks and missing curb cuts made everyday walking unsafe for older adults and people with disabilities in northern Jacobsville, limiting access to services and healthcare. Jacobsville Area Community Corporation led sidewalk audits across more than 70 blocks with the city engineer, documenting conditions and creating a system to rank safety concerns and estimate repair needs. A volunteer recalled seeing a wheelchair user forced to turn back at an intersection with no curb cut. By turning observations into documented data, the project gave the city a practical framework to prioritize repairs and plan long-term improvements that support safer walking and independence.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Chicago, IL
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
Description: Busy intersections along 79th Street posed serious safety risks for pedestrians, including older adults, in one of Chicago's high-crash corridors. To slow traffic and improve visibility, the initiative installed colorful pavement art at key crossings and trained local youth to assist with the work, giving them new trade skills. Residents say the redesigned intersections feel safer and easier to navigate. The project is expected to reduce pedestrian accidents and has sparked plans for similar improvements along the corridor, reinforcing efforts to make the area safer and more vibrant.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Chicago, IL
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: A six-block stretch along a busy bus route lacked benches, leaving older adults without a place to rest while waiting for transit. The council installed a hexagonal tree bench near a major stop, offering shaded seating where none existed before. Volunteers assembled and maintain the bench as part of park cleanups. "They were amazed that anyone had thought to provide this welcome addition," said a volunteer, reflecting community gratitude. The bench now offers a permanent, comfortable spot for community members to wait for buses or enjoy the park.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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