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Eastman, GA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Pedestrian Safety
Description: People walking along a busy corridor faced daily safety risks because the street lacked sidewalks and clear crossings. With no designated space to walk, residents had to navigate traffic near schools and nearby destinations, creating particular challenges for older adults making routine trips on foot. The City of Eastman installed new sidewalks and added painted crosswalks with flashing lights and visible signage. Together, these changes created predictable places to walk and cross where none existed before, reducing conflict between vehicles and pedestrians. The improvements eased daily movement for residents who walk for errands, exercise or to accompany family members. Older adults reported feeling safer using the corridor and more confident navigating the area on foot. The project also accelerated local plans to extend sidewalks on adjacent streets, helping reduce the risk of future pedestrian incidents and reinforcing a longer-term shift toward safer walking conditions.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Westport, NY
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Pedestrian Safety
Description: The Slow with the Flow and Walkable Westport campaigns will enhance pedestrian safety. Public art, greenscaping, and crosswalk painting will slow traffic and improve walkability.
Northport, AL
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Pedestrian Safety
Description: A busy roadway crossing along Rice Mine Road made it difficult and risky for people on foot to reach a shared-use trail and nearby destinations. Older adults often avoided the crossing because of traffic speed and driver behavior. The City of Northport upgraded the crossing with new high-visibility striping and solar-powered flashing beacons. The city also hosted a public demonstration that encouraged residents to test the crossing and share feedback. The changes improved confidence among older adults, and community input is guiding additional trail and walking improvements.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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Baltimore, MD
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: This project helped prepare the ground for Rachael Wilson Memorial Park, named in honor of Maryland's first woman firefighter to be killed in the line of duty. To clear room for park amenities, Bon Secours Community Works removed two sections of concrete foundation, left over from the foundations of abandoned homes that once sat on the site. Project organizers also planted 30 trees. The new greenspace is the result of a grassroots effort by two longtime West Baltimore residents and advocates. Today, the park features new playground equipment and a mural painted by a local artist, which pays tribute to Rachael Wilson.
Baltimore, MD
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Bike Audits
Description: Unsafe street conditions made walking and biking difficult in Mount Clare, especially for older adults navigating fast traffic and limited cycling infrastructure. Mount Clare Community Council organized a volunteer-led bike audit to document these risks and bring resident experiences into local planning. Volunteers completed intersection traffic counts, ride-along audits and walk audits that captured how speeding and driver behavior affect daily travel. New virtual meeting equipment also expanded access, drawing more older adults and retirees into neighborhood discussions. The findings helped advance a planned cycle track on Pratt Street and informed a broader neighborhood plan with additional cycling improvements. One participant age 50-plus said the audit encouraged him to start biking and speak out about the need for traffic calming after seeing the dangers firsthand.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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