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City of Hamilton (2023) Print
2023 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Transportation
└ Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
└ Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
Fast traffic and unsafe crossings on State Street and Southside streets made walking hazardous for older adults and residents of an income-restricted housing complex. The city partnered with Bike Walk Bitterroot and Western Transportation Institute to install pop-up traffic calming features, including neighborhood traffic circles and sidewalk extensions with pedestrian refuge islands. Volunteers helped implement the designs after community walk audits. The changes slowed vehicles and improved visibility, making crossings safer for pedestrians. Residents praised the improvements, and the city plans seasonal reinstallation and is exploring permanent solutions based on data and feedback.
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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See More Projects Like This One
Payson, AZ
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019
Project Category: Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
Description: Town officials, community members and local artists collaborated to construct downtown Payson's first ever crosswalk on historic Main Street. The artistic, accessible crosswalk debuted at the Olde Main Street Days festival, where volunteers helped local artists color in the crosswalk's playful design. The final product, which features two ADA-compliant ramps on either side of the crosswalk, is a functional piece of art that has since spurred three additional outdoor art installations near Main Street.
Raymore, MO
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018
Project Category: Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
Description: As part of efforts to establish Raymore's Municipal Circle as the heart of the community, the City of Raymore created a paved crosswalk. Before, visitors to nearby municipal buildings crossed at unmarked points, leading to safety concerns. To further increase a sense of public safety, they City added lighting. Additionally, they installed park benches nearby to give pedestrians a place to rest. Foot traffic in the neighborhood has increased in recent years -- a new community event space opened nearby and more development is expected. City officials also hope the crosswalk project serves as a pilot for improving walkability in other parts of town.
Pittsburgh, PA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
Description: Residents wanted safer streets but lacked tools to advocate for change. Bike Pittsburgh addressed this by hosting five workshops that trained older adults and others to design and launch street safety campaigns. The project also installed a community-designed mural near a library to slow traffic and create a welcoming space. The mural now improves access for older adults and youth, and graduates are pursuing additional projects. One participant said the training "helped me prioritize and structure all my advocacy projects... more strategically and efficiently."
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Hamilton, MT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: In Montana's Bitterroot Valley, older adults and low-income families faced food insecurity and limited access to fresh produce. The "Veggie Brigade" paired youth farm interns with older adults to grow vegetables in donated yard spaces and community plots. Volunteers built 32 raised beds, distributed thousands of plants and prepared weekly salads and soups for local food assistance clients. The project increased food availability and created intergenerational connections through shared gardening and meal preparation. This has led tohands-on education that will support ongoing efforts to fight food insecurity and strengthen community ties. "Having a young team of Veggie Brigade interns that could clean out our large garden after my husband passed away was so meaningful," one participant said.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Victor, MT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2026
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: Accessible parking, benches and an information kiosk will be installed at a new public park next to downtown. These features will help visitors comfortably reach and enjoy the park and make outdoor use easier for people with mobility needs.
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