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Legacy Foundation Inc. (2020) Print
2020 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Transportation
└ Bikeability
└ Bikeability
To address the first mile/last mile problem -- describing challenges riders face bridging the distance between transit stops and community amenities -- this project launched the Cycle219 Bikeshare Program. The Legacy Foundation purchased electric bikes, added bike racks and installed signage to help cyclists navigate. To make the program affordable, organizers provided annual passes to older adults and low-income residents. Additionally, project organizers used tactical urbanism to test ideas for improving crosswalk safety in Gary's Miller neighborhood. They used stencils to paint sharrows and an artistic crosswalk onto the pavement, hoping to make cyclists and pedestrians more visible to drivers. In the future, organizers plan to expand the bikeshare into more communities.
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Plattsburgh, NY
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Bikeability
Description: The Coast addressed social isolation among older adults and people with disabilities who had limited ways to enjoy time outdoors. Many participants could no longer ride a bicycle or easily access trails, shrinking opportunities for connection. The program provided free trishaw rides with trained volunteer pilots, allowing riders to travel local paths safely while facing forward and engaging with their surroundings. In one case, a pilot shared that a woman in assisted living who rarely spoke became "especially chatty" after rides, eagerly telling others how much she loved being outdoors. In another, a rider relived family history while traveling alongside railroad tracks where her relatives once worked. The program delivered hundreds of rides and deepened partnerships with care facilities, laying a foundation to reach even more riders as the program expands.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Wilmington, DE
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Bikeability
Description: West Center City is a predominantly Black neighborhood in Wilmington which has historically lacked bicycle infrastructure. To give people a place to park their bikes, Wilmington Alliance installed three new art racks in central areas -- an upgrade from the single bicycle rack that once served the whole neighborhood. Local artists designed Art Racks, with each rack's look highlighting the community's rich history. Project organizers say the racks not only add a secure place to lock up bike but add a sculptural element all can enjoy. They are installed in community gathering spaces, including at greenspaces and community centers.
Dallas, TX
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Bikeability
Description: To work toward creating a safe, bikeable community, Bike Friendly South Dallas expanded its Hub and Spoke program, a partnership with local organizations to install bike repair stations throughout the community. Project organizers installed seven repair stations, as well as cabinets filled with tools for repairs, in an area of South Dallas with no bike shops. Bike Friendly South Dallas also provided training on bike repair skills and bike safety to local partner organizations.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Gary, IN
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Expansion and enhancement of transportation options
Description: This project will enhance accessibility by installing a bus shelter, speed bumps, solar-powered crosswalks, striped crosswalks, and a bike lane. These improvements will connect senior apartments to a local park and trail.
Gary, IN
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: Residents of Genesis Towers -- an affordable housing complex for older adults -- often congregated in a vacant lot in Gary's downtown. This project set out to activate the lot into an accessible gathering space. Local students worked to gather input from residents about their hopes for the new park, and the City held design workshops. Plans for the space featured ADA-accessible walkways, seating, picnic tables and raised garden beds. Organizers also worked to provide free Wi-Fi access in the space, as well as a bike repair station. Organizers say the park is designed to host free or low-cost events -- part of the overarching goal of combatting social isolation through innovative public spaces.
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