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New Orleans, LA

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024

Project Category: Public or private transit access

Description: This project will engage local older adults to ensure their needs are considered in efforts to redesign several bus shelters across the city. The Committee seeks to make public transit accessible, safe, comfortable and climate-resilient for people of all ages.

Perry, IA

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022

Project Category: Public or private transit access

Description: Older adults and some families in Perry faced major transportation barriers, limiting access to health care and jobs. HIRTA launched FlexConnect, a flexible bus route supported by ADA-compliant benches, signage and bilingual outreach. Free passes encouraged ridership, which has already grown by 10%. Surveys will track health impacts, and the service is expected to reduce isolation and promote independence. One community member said that this project will open up "a world of possibilities for people who live here."

Miami, FL

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022

Project Category: Public or private transit access

Description: Older adults in Miami-Dade faced barriers to using public transit and on-demand ride-hailing services, limiting mobility and social engagement. Transit Alliance launched My Transit My City, hosting workshops and tech training to teach participants how to navigate the redesigned bus system and use free ride-hailing apps. Outreach included flyers, helplines and pop-up events, and older adults enrolled in the Golden Passport program for fare-free rides. One participant said, "For those who are in their latter years, something new is always a bit frightening, but once they try it... they...like it," reflecting restored confidence.

Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects

La Union, NM

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024

Project Category: Park enhancements

Description: An abandoned baseball field turned walking trail lacked lighting, leaving older adults feeling unsafe after dark and limiting outdoor activity. Volunteers installed 12 solar lights along the trail and added desert landscaping with crushed rock, seating rocks and metal art near the community center. Outreach included flyers and social media to showcase improvements. Lighting now enables evening walks and community events, boosting safety and camaraderie. Residents expressed pride in the beautified space, and plans include murals and benches. One participant said, "Out here, lights are very essential because it is pitch black... We need to feel safe."

Dona Ana County, NM

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020

Project Category: Public or private transit access

Description: Founded in 2016, the South Central Transit District serves a largely rural area in New Mexico's Mesilla Valley. Before its launch, no public transportation services covered this part of the state. Despite the area's hot summer temperatures, few of the District's bus stops had amenities aimed at helping transit riders wait comfortably. To fix this, the District added two dozen benches and four bus shelters in several communities, including Anthony, Chaparral, Sunland Park and Hatch. District staff constructed concrete pads for the benches, which sit in high traffic areas. The work represents the first phase of improvements to stops -- the District plans to add LED lighting to increase safety for riders. Project organizers say the shelters and benches are popular with students and older adults, who make up a large share of the transit system's ridership.

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