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Carlsbad MainStreet Project (2022) Print
2022 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Transportation
└ Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
└ Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
This project set out to beautify Carlsbad's downtown and make walking safter. To do this, organizers repainted crosswalks with thermoplastic materials, which are designed to withstand the sun's rays. Over time, the crossing lines painted in many intersections had faded under the sun. The new crosswalks are more visible, which improves safety by helping drivers spot pedestrians crossing the street. Project organizers hope the improved streetscape draws more people downtown, supporting the local economy.
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See More Projects Like This One
River Falls, WI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
Description: A deteriorating intersection identified as a high-risk crash area posed safety challenges for pedestrians and cyclists, including older adults living nearby. The project installed high-visibility crosswalk markings, upgraded buttons with auditory signals and added bollards to create a protected bike lane and pedestrian corridor. Public art and a "paint the pavement" event engaged volunteers and raised awareness. These improvements made the crossing safer and more accessible, connected residents to downtown and trails and informed future bike and pedestrian plans.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Yukon, OK
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
Description: Downtown events in Yukon forced older adults to cross a busy four-lane road with short signals and poor sight lines, creating safety risks. The project introduced 10 portable crosswalk signs with flashing light bars, four event parking signs and six sets of pedestrian flags to improve visibility and slow traffic. These quick-action tools made crossings safer and sparked plans for permanent PedFlag installations and sidewalk upgrades, ensuring older adults can navigate downtown events with greater confidence. One person said that these improvements improved her sense of safety and made it easier to access the garden with peace of mind.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Hamtramck, MI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
Description: The Joe Louis Greenway is a planned recreational pathway between Hamtramck and Detroit intended to unify the region's neighborhoods, people and parks. Organizers with Eastern Michigan University hoped to help shape the design for an alleyway connecting to the greenway. They planned a pop-up activation of the alley, turning it into a pedestrian-friendly route and community gathering space. The demonstration featured temporary traffic-calming measures, as well as sidewalk bump outs meant to make crossing the street easier. Organizers surveyed visitors during the demonstration, using their feedback to inform permanent changes to the alley.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Roswell, NM
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: Roswell often experiences daytime temperatures well over 112 degrees Fahrenheit. The tourist town also welcomes more than 200,000 tourists each year. This project set out to help visitors and residents alike walk in downtown Roswell despite the brutal heat. Over the course of several years, Maitreet Roswell collected plastic bottle caps and container lids -- part of an effort it called Bottlecaps to Benches. Project organizers then sent a tractor trailer full of the caps to a recycling plant in Indiana, which sent back 30 benches made from recycled plastic. Maitreet Roswell then installed the benches throughout the town's commercial district, allowing pedestrians to sit and recover from the heat.
Alamogordo, NM
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: When a major streetscape project threatened to cut off downtown access, Alamogordo MainStreet turned an unsafe alley into a welcoming corridor. Uneven surfaces and poor lighting were replaced with raised garden beds, ADA-compliant benches and pergolas with lighting. Eight murals were created by local artists and volunteers. The alley now hosts classes, food trucks and photo opportunities, and will provide safe access during construction. "Transforming our once overlooked alley into a vibrant, art-filled space is a game-changer... creating a sense of place and fostering community pride," said a city commissioner.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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