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City of Bessemer (2017) Print
2017 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Transportation
└ Bikeability
└ Bikeability
Officials in Bessemer, located on the western end of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, wanted to promote biking while beautifying their city. To do this, they installed 12 bike racks, each featuring decorative tops made of colored glass. The racks make cycling easier for residents, allowing them to ride their bikes for exercise and to run errands. The project was part of a larger city bike plan that included painting stripes for bike lanes the city's busiest roads. Since installing the bike racks, Bessemer has continued to support biking. In 2020, work began on a 1.5 million upgrade and extension of the Iron Belle Trail, which connects Bessemer with nearby communities.
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Seattle, WA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2017
Project Category: Engaging residents alongside thought leaders in problem solving
Description: Seattle's city government invited technology specialists, designers and older adults to take part in a weekend hackathon. Participants brainstormed ways to use public data and technology to understand the built environment and improve the lives of Seattle's older adult residents. The City offered cash prizes to teams with winning ideas. Team Pandora for Streets took home the top prize for their map that used unusual crowdsourced data to evaluate the urban environment, such as street-level smells and noises. Other winning projects used crowdsourced bus stop data to evaluate accessibility and visualized needed repairs to Seattle's sidewalk network. Part of the Age-Friendly Seattle initiative, the civic hackathon reflects Seattle's commitment to becoming a livable community for people of all ages and abilities, Candice Faber, the city's civic technology advocate, said.
Owensboro, KY
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Accessibility of amenities
Description: The Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum is a destination for music lovers but accessibility features for people of all ages and abilities. The facility added an audio guide to their tours which help visitors with visual or hearing impairments experience exhibits with an accompanying audio narration. To access the guide, patrons can either use a smartphone app or borrow an audio player and disposable ear buds provided by the museum. The system also offers sign language tours, and the museum has induction loop technology for visitors with hearing aids. Visitors simply select an exhibit number -- identified with new signage -- to access in-depth stories and historical details.
St. Petersburg, FL
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2017
Project Category: Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
Description: The Florida Consumer Action Network Foundation temporarily transformed a street into a route capable of safely accommodating pedestrians, cyclists and motor vehicles all at once. The network saw the pop-up project as a way to build support among residents and business owners for Complete Streets. On a Sunday in October, they closed Central Avenue to vehicle traffic and installed four parklets. The parklets featured outdoor bookshelves, planers and seating, as well as a space to play bocce ball. In addition, project organizers added curb extensions at an intersection to slow traffic and narrow the crossing distance for pedestrians. While no vehicles were allowed on the road during the demonstration, the reconfiguration demonstrated pedestrian safety, even with traffic reintroduced. In 2019, the city approved a plan to redesign streets over the next two decades to accommodate cars, pedestrians and cyclists.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Ashland, WI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018
Project Category: Bikeability
Description: Ashland's residents have access to an 11-mile Rails-to-Trails network, making getting around by bike easy. However, the City wanted to ensure cyclists -- regardless of income level, age and ability -- had the tools necessary for bicycle upkeep. The City installed five Bike reapair stations along the trail. Each station includes basic tools, an air pump and bike stand. Additionally, the City published an online manual on fixing and maintaining bikes, which people can access by scanning a QR code at the fix-it station.
Ashland, WI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: A survey showed residents in Ashland wanted more outdoor seating in the city's downtown. As part of larger efforts to revitalize the commercial district the City worked with Ashland Main Street to install decorative benches. The City engaged teams of artists -- including college students and staff from the local food co-op -- to design artwork for the seating. Then, with the help of volunteers, project organizers then installed one bench on every block of Ashland's nine-block commercial area. Each depicts imagery related to the community's identity, including scenes from local history or ecology. Paying homage to nearby Lake Superior, several benches have a water theme. Project organizers say Ashland is known as the mural capital of Wisconsin, and the benches work with other public art installations to draw people to visit downtown.
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