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Dream Center Evansville (2022) Print
2022 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Transportation
└ Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
└ Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
This project painted the intersection of North Main and West Michigan streets to improve visibility. It also repaired sidewalks and curbs on nearby streets, where there is a high percentage of older adults.
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See More Projects Like This One
Grove, OK
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
Description: Crossing busy highways in downtown Grove was risky for older adults, discouraging visits to shops and events. The city installed two pedestrian-activated lighted crosswalk signals, an advance warning signal and LED lights to improve safety and complement earlier ADA upgrades. These changes make it easier for residents to walk downtown and join festivals and shopping. One resident said, "Before the lighted crosswalk signals were installed... I stayed away from the downtown area and missed out on a lot of festivals and events. With the added crosswalk signals my friends and I enjoy visiting downtown Grove."
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
St. Petersburg, FL
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2017
Project Category: Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
Description: The Florida Consumer Action Network Foundation temporarily transformed a street into a route capable of safely accommodating pedestrians, cyclists and motor vehicles all at once. The network saw the pop-up project as a way to build support among residents and business owners for Complete Streets. On a Sunday in October, they closed Central Avenue to vehicle traffic and installed four parklets. The parklets featured outdoor bookshelves, planers and seating, as well as a space to play bocce ball. In addition, project organizers added curb extensions at an intersection to slow traffic and narrow the crossing distance for pedestrians. While no vehicles were allowed on the road during the demonstration, the reconfiguration demonstrated pedestrian safety, even with traffic reintroduced. In 2019, the city approved a plan to redesign streets over the next two decades to accommodate cars, pedestrians and cyclists.
Morris Plains, NJ
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
Description: Older residents faced safety risks crossing Mountain Way to reach Roberts Garden and the library due to the lack of a crosswalk and sidewalk. The borough installed a new crosswalk with ADA-compliant features, added a sidewalk and placed pedestrian signs to improve access. These upgrades now connect Roberts Garden and the library to nearby neighborhoods and transit.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Evansville, IN
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Walk Audits
Description: Broken sidewalks and missing curb cuts made everyday walking unsafe for older adults and people with disabilities in northern Jacobsville, limiting access to services and healthcare. Jacobsville Area Community Corporation led sidewalk audits across more than 70 blocks with the city engineer, documenting conditions and creating a system to rank safety concerns and estimate repair needs. A volunteer recalled seeing a wheelchair user forced to turn back at an intersection with no curb cut. By turning observations into documented data, the project gave the city a practical framework to prioritize repairs and plan long-term improvements that support safer walking and independence.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Evansville, IN
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Trails
Description: Many trails in this urban old-growth forest were inaccessible for visitors with limited mobility, leaving older adults unable to enjoy nature. The project converted 435 feet of degraded trail into a raised boardwalk with safety rails, added an ADA-compliant bench and installed signage. Volunteers age 50-plus helped prepare and build the trail, which now connects the Nature Center to animal exhibits and a towering tulip tree. The upgrade has prompted visits from assisted living groups and mobility device users, inspiring plans for more accessible trails. "We want more!" said one group after experiencing the new Mini-Loop Trail.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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