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Marlette, MI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Pedestrian Safety
Description: The Heartlands addressed pedestrian safety concerns inside its local living community for older adults, where residents regularly walk through a busy internal intersection with limited visibility and unclear wayfinding. Long identified as a need, the project added a highly visible three dimensional crosswalk and new directional signage to slow traffic and help residents and visitors navigate the campus more safely. Volunteers and staff also completed landscaping and tree planting to improve comfort and visibility along walking routes. The changes created clearer paths and greater peace of mind for residents who spend time outdoors, and reinforced existing efforts to encourage walking and daily activity. One volunteer noted how the new crosswalk created a safe, clearly marked path that made residents feel more confident being active outside.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Durham, NC
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Pedestrian Safety
Description: Bike Durham addressed a longstanding safety challenge on a downtown corridor where older adults and other residents faced fast traffic and limited protection while walking or biking. The Move-A-Bull City Open Streets event closed the route to cars and showed people what safer design looks like, including protected intersections and shorter crossings. Seven themed zones offered wellness activities, demonstrations and places to safely try new ways of moving through the city. The event prompted stronger support for traffic calming and protected lanes and helped residents imagine permanent improvements. Many left wanting more frequent Open Streets days, showing how powerful the experience felt.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Randolph, VT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Pedestrian Safety
Description: This project will enhance pedestrian safety at key downtown crosswalks by installing a Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB) and safety flags.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Cairo, IL
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Walk Audits
Description: In rural southern Illinois, older adults faced unsafe walking conditions with missing sidewalks and overgrown paths, forcing them into streets to reach parks and stores. CHESI organized walk audits across three towns, engaging 37 residents, including many age 50-plus, to review 100 blocks and document hazards. Participants met with local leaders to push for improvements and raised awareness of pedestrian safety. The effort sparked advocacy campaigns and scheduled meetings with mayors. This laid the groundwork for safer sidewalks and crosswalks and inspired future livable community projects.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Mounds, IL
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: City Park was deteriorating and lacked accessible features for older adults and people with disabilities. The project installed ADA-compliant benches and picnic tables, added concrete pads and walkways, upgraded bathrooms with grab bars and accessible fixtures and provided umbrellas for shade. Volunteers, including older adults, helped build and install the new amenities. These improvements made the park more welcoming and sparked momentum for future upgrades. One resident noted online, "...to have a community to be proud of, everyone has to pitch in and help." Plans include adding lighting and exploring new features like barbecue areas.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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