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Camden, NJ
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
Description: To help people reach Cramer Waterfront Park on foot or by bicycle, this demonstration project tested several street safety improvements. Organizers added crosswalks and temporary curb ramps to a nearby intersection. They also swapped bike and parking lanes in an effort to separate cyclists from vehicle traffic. The Camden Community Partnership collected data to evaluate the traffic calming interventions, which they will use to inform permanent infrastructure upgrades.
Birmingham, AL
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
Description: This project developed street murals, which created bulbouts at the crosswalks of two intersections. The artistic bulbouts shorten the distance needed to cross the street -- a pedestrian infrastructure feature designed to boster safety. Additionally, the artwork highlights Brimingham's local culture.
Burnsville, MN
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018
Project Category: Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
Description: Burnsville city staff identified four crosswalks in need of safety improvements. To make the crossings safter for people on foot, they installed flashing beacons, which pedestrians activate by pushing a button. The flashing lights alter drivers to people crossing the street, prompting them to slow down. They also repainted pavement striping, added signage and improved sidewalks to make them ADA-accessible. To evaluate the efficacy of the changes, the City conducted a pedestrian study after installation. The City is now working to educate drivers about the beacons and crosswalk safety.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Hartford, CT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2017
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: KNOX rebuilt and upgraded the Hartford's Broad Street Community Garden to allow people of all ages and abilities to easily garden there. They added 22 raised garden beds, making plots more accessible to children, people with disabilities and older residents. Additionally, the organization hired a contractor to repair a garden fence and purchased a picnic table and a pergola -- a structure to create shade for gardeners. Since then, KNOX continues to create gardening opportunities for Hartford residents. The Hartford Courant reported in 2021 that KNOX manages 20 community gardens with a cumulative five acres of space. These include nearly 660 plots, each with an average size of 12 square feet.
Hartford, CT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: This project improved accessibility at Pope Park for older adults and people with disabilities. Project organizers installed ADA-compliant picnic tables with benches, designed to accommodate individuals using scooters or wheelchairs. The added amenities upgraded an area of the park with a play area and spray pool for small children. In this predominantly low-income neighborhood few homes have front or back yards, making Pope Park an important outdoor space for residents of all ages. Project organizers say the new seating highlighted a need for more accessible pathways in the park, which are now being designed.
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