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City of Montgomery Planning Department (2018) Print
2018 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Transportation
└ Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
└ Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
Drivers in Montgomery can't help but slow down when they approach the crosswalk on busy Mulberry Street. The crossing features solar-powered, pedestrian-activated crossing signals as well as a pavement mural -- all of which calm passing traffic and improve pedestrian safety. After calling on residents to submit their ideas for the mural, the City's traffic engineers painted the crossing to look like a troll bridge. Connecting a residential neighborhood to the local elementary school, the crosswalk depicts a wooden bridge with a mom, dad and baby troll hanging on its sides. The bridge allows students to safety get to school and also enables pedestrians to traverse Mulberry Street's many small businesses. We had about 30 designs submitted for the crosswalk and all of them were delightful, but the Hardy design made the whole selection committee smile, Lynda Wool, a senior planner for the city of Montgomery, told Design Alabama.
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Bozeman, MT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2017
Project Category: Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
Description: The City of Bozeman partnered with the Western Transportation Institute to create a pop-up trailer, which they lend to community groups who want to test out street concepts and advocate for permanent changes. The toolkit contains materials for temporary demonstrations, such as straw wattles, planter boxes, pavement paint and tires. These are useful for creating curb extensions and pedestrian islands -- features that calm traffic by narrowing lanes and increasing the visibility of cyclists and pedestrians. The City deployed the kit at the intersection of Tamarack and North Tracy, where residents often complain about speeding. Located near a park, senior center and the county fairgrounds, the intersection is popular with pedestrians and cyclists. When the City polled passersby about the interventions, two-thirds of the feedback they heard was positive. The City also set up radar speed detection equipment, which showed slower vehicle speeds during pop-up project.
Jasonville, IN
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
Description: This project will create a walkway equipped with ADA-compliant benches, directional signage, lights and a painted crosswalk to encourage residents aged 50 to use the nearby community garden and connect with Jasonville's history.
Columbia, MO
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
Description: Many of Columbia's sidewalks and bike lanes are outdated and substandard. To make the community aware of needed pedestrian infrastructure improvements, Columbia PedNet created a pop-up demonstration kit. Outfitted with traffic cones, paint, stencils, signs and other supplies, the kit allows local advocates to make temporary changes to the streetscape. Project organizers then worked with residents and the city's Public Works Department to stage two demonstrations to reduce vehicle speeds, making walking and cycling safer. Project organizers report many residents attended the events and gave their feedback on how to make streets safer. Columbia PedNet has more demonstrations planned and hopes to work with the City to make pop-ups part of its neighborhood traffic calming program.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Montgomery, AL
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Bike Audits
Description: This project will engage volunteers to conduct two bike audits evaluating safety near Montgomery Whitewater park. County officials will analyze the findings and work toward implementing improvements.
Montgomery, AL
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
Description: Montgomery's Old Cloverdale neighborhood is a historic area with beautiful, wide streets and compelling architecture but limited sidewalks and crosswalks. To address this, River Region Trains Inc. engaged in a two-week pop-up placemaking event. Using cones and paint, they set up temporary, protected pedestrian lanes on two major connector streets in the neighborhood. Along with two existing lengths of sidewalk, the lanes formed a 2-mile loop, wide enough to accommodate multiple walkers, bikers, runners and people riding scooters. Organizers say the project demonstrated the power of creating walkable streets and encouraged residents to get involved in how their streets are designed and built.
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