AARP Hearing Center
AARP Livable Communities Map
Community Food and Agriculture Coalition (2024) Print
2024 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Transportation
└ Walk Audits
└ Walk Audits
Missoula's farmers markets are vital for older adults using SNAP. Yet uneven brick streets, steep ramps and missing sidewalks make access difficult. To address this, the Coalition led walk audits at three markets, covering 2.1 miles and 23 intersections with more than 40 volunteers, including older adults. Audits revealed hazards like debris and poor crossings and tested a mock Neighborway with painted paths and planters to show safer routes. Findings prompted city leaders to integrate accessibility audits into future planning and advanced momentum for permanent improvements. Participants spoke highly of the Neighborway and felt safer having a dedicated space for non-motorized traffic.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Photo Gallery
Image:
Click on a photo to learn more
See More Projects Like This One
San Francisco, CA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Walk Audits
Description: San Francisco's Little Chinatown corridor lacked safe, accessible infrastructure for pedestrians, leaving older adults and people with disabilities at risk. The project conducted three walk audits with volunteers and local officials, documenting hazards and gathering input from business owners and parents. Findings highlighted needs for stop signs, improved bus stops and accessibility upgrades. A local business owner stated that these infrastructure improvements will increase safety and access. The audits sparked plans for placemaking improvements, including safety bollards and street art.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Shreve, OH
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Walk Audits
Description: Cracked and uneven sidewalks made walking unsafe near parks, the library and downtown, limiting mobility for older adults and families. The village organized walk audits with residents and shared findings at a community meeting. It then launched the Sidewalk Improvement Partnership Program, pairing homeowners with the village for repairs. The initiative sparked council involvement and set priorities for phased upgrades, creating a path toward safer, more walkable streets. As one volunteer noted, "I had never fully recognized the challenging experience it could be for elderly individuals, people with disabilities, or those with baby strollers."
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
North Augusta, SC
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Walk Audits
Description: Uneven sidewalks and poorly marked crossings made downtown North Augusta difficult to navigate, especially for older adults. A walk audit engaged residents age 50-plus to identify hazards and suggest fixes. The project included two community meetings and immediate upgrades like better lighting and safer crossings. Findings informed updates to the downtown master plan and sparked momentum for long-term improvements. One participant said it felt empowering to voice concerns and later see changes such as traffic-calming features, making trips to meet friends or run errands more confident and enjoyable.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Missoula, MT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
Description: Missoula's Transportation Planning hoped to improve safety at a busy intersection in the Riverfront neighborhood, while also giving people a space to gather. First, project organizers asked residents and local business owners for their ideas to improve the streetscape. Ahead of activating the intersection, the city's public works department made upgrades to pavement and water mains. Based on community feedback, Missoula Transportation Planning then created bulb-outs, which extend the curb into the intersection, giving pedestrians extra space, making them more visible to drivers and shortening the distance needed to cross the road. Curb ramps make the crosswalks accessible. To create a seating area, they also created two parklets -- mini-parks that fit in the footprint of on-street parking spaces. The parklets featured art, a space to park bikes and decorative foliage.
Missoula, MT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: To improve public health and increase residents' physical activity, the City of Missoula launched the Rx Trails program. Through the initiative, the local Parks and Recreation Department partners with local health care providers encourage patients to walk. The City worked to designate a path through McCormick Park as an Rx trail -- pathways featuring amenities including, drinking fountains, benches and accessible parking. They installed two benches and posted a map to help visitors navigate the trail. Additionally, they distributed promotional materials to residents to inform them about Rx Trails.
LEARN MORE AND STAY INFORMED
Find articles and resources about making communities more livable for people of all ages
Download or order free publications from AARP Livable Communities
Sign up for the free, weekly, award-winning AARP Livable Communities eNewsletter
Don't see your community listed?
LEARN HOW IT CAN JOIN THE NETWORKConnect with your AARP State Office
AARP has offices in all 50 states as well as in the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
AARP Montana State Office
30 West 14th Street
Suite 301
Helena, MT 59601
United States