Richmond, VA

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2026

Project Category: Public or private transit access

Description: Volunteers will build and install shaded bench seating at selected bus stops in high-heat areas. The benches will offer safer, cooler waiting spaces for transit riders, especially older adults who use the city’s zero-fare bus system.

Columbus, GA

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022

Project Category: Public or private transit access

Description: Long waits at Columbus's main bus station were uncomfortable for older adults and others. METRA installed four swing benches in two courtyard locations, along with protective mulch beds and curbs for safety. Riders now have a soothing, shaded space to relax while waiting for buses, and the project sparked interest in adding similar amenities citywide. The benches face a greenspace courtyard, creating a more livable transit hub. A leader mentioned that now patrons are enjoying their time waiting for the bus.

Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.

Elsa, TX

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018

Project Category: Public or private transit access

Description: People using the local bus service in Elsa had no designated bus stop facilities. To catch a bus, residents could stand on the side the highway and wave -- an unsafe situation on the area's busy roads. To make waiting for public transit safer and more comfortable, the City set out to add bus shelters along State Highway 107.