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City of Houston Planning and Development Department (2020) Print
2020 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Transportation
└ Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
└ Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
Many residents of Houston's Gulfton neighborhood do not own cars, making walking, cycling and public transit use common in the area -- one of the most diverse in the city. But street infrastructure didn't exist to protect cyclists from street traffic. To demonstrate the value of streetscape improvements, the City set up a pop-up bike lane on Westward Street near a local elementary school. First, the City developed a pop-up toolkit, consisting of chalk, paint, stencils and traffic cones. They then used these to create bike lanes on both sides of the street, with plans to conduct more low-cost, temporary pop-ups in the future. During the Westward Street demonstration, the City conducted a survey of residents. Following the success of the temporary bike lanes, the City broke ground on a permanent street redesign project nearby. Planners expect permanent protected bike lanes to be installed along the stretch where the demonstration took place.
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Tallulah, LA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019
Project Category: Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
Description: The City of Tallulah set out to beautify a walkway in its central business district. The area is home to many community resources, including a grocery store, bank, post office, library, retail stores and public offices. In addition to giving people a pleasant route to walk, the project made crosswalks more visible to drivers, making crossing the street safer.
Hamlin, WV
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018
Project Category: Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
Description: Although Hamlin's residents can access regional bus service, most parts of the community lack transit access and pedestrian infrastructure. To make the community less car-centric, Lincoln County Friends of the Arts installed several artistic crosswalks. They engaged residents to design murals, which volunteers painted on the pavement. The colorful crosswalks draw catch drivers' attention, making them more likely to notice people crossing the street. Organizers hope the traffic calming installations will improve safety for pedestrian and cyclists, ultimately improving mobility throughout the small town.
Jamestown, ND
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019
Project Category: Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
Description: Jamestown's Parks and Recreation Department hosted a pop-up event to test the viability of a path connecting the existing Jamestown River Trail with the local university, high school and activity center. They deployed traffic cones and signage to cordon off a temporary route for bikes and pedestrians along Highway 20. Organizers collected community feedback before and after the Pop-Up Walk/Bike Trail event, hoping to use the responses in future grant funding applications. That's what we're looking for input on, where do folks want to cross the road, said Amy Walters, director of the Two Rivers Activity Center. What is going to make people feel the safest Of those surveyed, 94 percent of people said they would like to see a permanent path installed along the route, with 62 percent of people saying they would use it at least four days a week. Since the project a committee has continued to meet to create a plan to connect existing paths in Jamestown and explore funding options.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Houston, TX
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2017
Project Category: Public art installations
Description: To increase walkability and create a safe, beautiful gathering space, Avenue CDC engaged a local artist, local schoolchildren and residents to create a 600-foot mural. The wall selected for the artwork was off-putting and had been vandalized many times. But the site also acted as the entry point to the Northline neighborhood, since the wall faces the nearby light rail station. The mural's design pays homage to local Latino culture and the history of the neighborhood. As the mural reached its completion, Hurricane Harvey hit Houston and project organizers were able to repurpose leftover grant funds to help with recovery and rebuilding.
Houston, TX
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Walkability
Description: This project will conduct walk audits along Washington Avenue, a busy commercial district surrounded by residential homes. There will be two training sessions and a final in-person community meeting.
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