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Citizens for Modern Transit (2017) Print
2017 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Transportation
└ Engaging people in transportation options/safety
└ Engaging people in transportation options/safety
To showcase possible long-term upgrades to the North Hanley light rail station in Cansonville, Mo., Citizens for Modern Transit held a pop-up festival. The event prioritized community engagement, giving participants several ways to share their ideas. The St. Louis County Department of Planning invited attendees to use Lego bricks to build a model of amenities they hoped to see at the station. People recorded themselves sharing their vision for the site at a self-expression stop. Visitors could also write their ideas on a large banner. To help inspire people, the event showcased murals created by a local artist. The feedback gathered during the event informed permanent changes. Today, visitors to the site will find new seating and shade structures, as well as murals painted on the pavement. The theme for that transformation is Transit: We All Ride Together. And since 2017, Citizens for Modern Transit has gone on to improve several other transit stops in the St. Louis region.
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See More Projects Like This One
Wilmington, DE
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Engaging people in transportation options/safety
Description: While Wilmington has a thriving bike culture, it lacks bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure to connect all parts of the community. To raise awareness of this issue, Urban Bike Project held four open streets events, which closed busy streets to vehicle traffic in different neighborhoods of the city. The reclaimed street space allowed residents to enjoy musical performances, play tennis in the road, pedal free rental bikes, register to vote, get caught up on vaccinations and receive fresh produce and recipes. Additionally, attendees shared their ideas for making streets safer with University of Delaware Living Labs volunteers. The Urban Bike Project plans to use their feedback to inform transportation projects that serve Wilmington residents, many of whom aren't always included in decision-making processes.
San Francisco, CA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Engaging people in transportation options/safety
Description: This project encourages communities to assess their neighborhoods for accessibility. Residents will learn to report issues using the 311 app and other city services, promoting inclusive and accessible environments for all.
Wilmington, DE
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Engaging people in transportation options/safety
Description: Wilmington residents face high rates of inactivity and chronic health issues, worsened by unsafe streets and limited bike infrastructure. In neighborhoods where many households lack cars, poor walkability restricts mobility and access to essentials. Through Open Streets Wilmington, roads were closed to traffic for events promoting active recreation and healthy living. Pop-up demonstrations showcased safer street designs, including a protected bike lane and improved parking on Baynard Boulevard. These efforts led to permanent changes that enhanced bike safety and pedestrian access. "Open Streets turns streets into neighborhoods and residents into neighbors," said one participant.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
East St. Louis, IL
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: As part of its efforts to boost public transit use and spart economic development around transit stations, Citizens for Modern Transit activated the Emerson Park light rail and bus station in East St. Louis. To choose a theme for the station and ensure the new amenities would meet the community's needs, project organizers held design workers and other community engagement events. They then installed new seating, shade structures and a sound system to pipe music into the space. A local artist collaborated with community members to create pavement art and a mural, which pay tribute to the area's musical history. Organizers say they hope the new space promotes creative play, cultivates community and encourages people to ride public transit.
St. Louis, MO
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: The North Hanley Transit Center had long lacked seating, shade and visual appeal, creating an unwelcoming environment for riders. The project added benches with backs and armrests, canopies, colorful pavement art and murals, along with updated shelters and wayfinding. These improvements made the station more comfortable and inviting, and have prompted further investment and discussions of large-scale development. As one transit operator noted, "This station looks fresh and inviting. The seats are great and riders seem so much happier."
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