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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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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.
Hendersonville, NC
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Bikeability
Description: With the highest pedestrian fatality rate among small towns in North Carolina, and a population that is more than half age 50-plus, Hendersonville faced urgent mobility challenges. To improve safety, the city installed 160 shared lane markings linking neighborhoods to downtown and the future Ecusta Trail. It also added two bike repair stations at key hubs and placed seven custom bike racks in high-traffic areas. These visible upgrades make biking safer and more convenient while encouraging active transportation. The project also spurred plans for a long-term bike parking strategy and updated bicycle plan. One resident said, "These amenities are fantastic additions to our city."
Mandan, ND
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Bikeability
Description: Downtown Mandan lacked bike parking, making it harder for residents and visitors to choose biking over driving. The city installed 25 bike racks at key destinations, including near housing and services for older adults, and promoted biking through social media. The racks connect downtown to regional trails and doubled the city's bike parking options, encouraging active transportation and healthier lifestyles. The project also set the stage for future street upgrades and zoning changes to expand bike infrastructure. One older adult said having a safe place to park his bike while his car was in the shop let him stay active and run errands, showing the immediate benefit for mobility and independence.
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."
La Union, NM
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Public or private transit access
Description: Although La Union's community center campus offered plenty of outdoor space, the space sat largely unused. So La Union Helping Hands set out to activate the area. Volunteers installed a benches and a gazebo for shade onsite. They also added seating and shelter to the nearby bus stop. This allows visitors -- including older adults -- to wait comfortably for the bus. Organizers hope the enhancements foster a vibrant space where residents can connect with each other, instilling a sense of community. Spurred by the project's success, La Union Helping Hands now plans to revamp landscaping, plant a community garden, install even more seating, and improve sidewalks at the community center.
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