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Downtown Las Cruces Partnership (2020) Print
2020 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Transportation
└ Bikeability
└ Bikeability
To make its downtown more bike-friendly, the Downtown Las Cruces installed 40 bike tacks. Based on feedback from the local cycling community, project organizers painted the racks racer green. Engagement with local business owners and volunteers determined the best locations to place the racks. In the future, Downtown Las Cruces expects placemaking efforts to continue with new shade sails. The City of Las Cruces also has plans for a new green path to facilitate biking and walking.
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See More Projects Like This One
Albuquerque, NM
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2026
Project Category: Bikeability
Description: Secure bicycle racks will be installed along a busy main street. The racks enable older adults to bike safely, reduce transportation costs and reach nearby businesses while aging in place.
Newburyport, MA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2026
Project Category: Bikeability
Description: The city will expand its bikeshare system by adding stations at parks, wildlife areas and the beach. This expansion will help people reach scenic destinations without owning a bike and support comfortable cycling for recreation and daily trips.
Bismarck, ND
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2017
Project Category: Bikeability
Description: Officials in Bismarck wanted to gauge support for a proposed path connecting downtown to the riverfront, dubbed the Bismarck Central Pathway. This project created a temporary path for pedestrians and cyclists, allowing the City to get feedback from residents over several weeks. In addition to connecting existing sidewalks and trails, project organizers used hay bales, traffic cones and paint to block off a portion of the street for pedestrians and cyclists. To get input, they set up kiosks along the path where residents could write about their experience. They also created an online survey. Residents generally supported making the route permanent, as long as pedestrians are protected from street traffic. The City plants to use the feedback to determine the best route for the new path. Project organizers say the pop-up trail also inspired other pop-ups. Since 2017, Bismarck planning staff have tested a road diet, an intersection bump-out project and a one-way to two-way road conversion.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Las Cruces, NM
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Public art installations
Description: To strengthen community ties and reduce isolation among older adults, Cruces Creatives led a paint-by-numbers mural project in downtown Las Cruces. More than 600 residents, including nearly 200 people age 50-plus, helped transform a highly visible wall into an 1,800-square-foot work of art. The mural gives volunteers lasting pride and has prompted continued engagement with local programs. Integrated research will produce the first peer-reviewed study on participatory public art, shaping similar efforts elsewhere. One participant summed up the experience: "Being a team and working together to improve our city feels fulfilling."
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Las Cruces, NM
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2026
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: An ADA accessible walking loop with compacted surfaces and shaded rest areas will be built in a popular park. Benches with backs and armrests will help older residents walk safely and comfortably even in the heat and with mobility challenges.
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