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Salt Lake City, UT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Improved wayfinding
Description: As part of larger Complete Streets efforts to make local roadways friendlier to pedestrians and cyclists, Sweet Streets installed wayfinding signage throughout Salt Lake City. The signs display the distances to nearby amenities such as shops and parks, as well as the time needed to reach them on foot or by bike. Project organizers hope the initiative encourages residents to explore their community without getting in a car. Additionally, Sweet Streets held a series of outreach events to engage residents on street safety and design, especially as the nonprofit advocates for lowered speed limits on many roads.
Charlotte, NC
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019
Project Category: Improved wayfinding
Description: Sustain Charlotte hoped to build enthusiasm for the concept of ten-minute neighborhoods -- places where people can meet their daily needs without needing to own a car. Based on input from residents of Charlotte's North End, the organization designed and installed 86 wayfinding signs. Each displays a QR code, which visitors can scan with their smartphones to view a map of neighborhood amenities, including parks and recreation centers, schools and public transportation. Following this project, Sustain Charlotte has continued its relationship with North End residents. The North End Community Coalition now serves on the steering committee for the Charlotte Regional Transportation Coalition, which Sustain Charlotte started in 2020. That coalition advocates for equity-centered transportation improvements, which include pedestrian and bike infrastructure. Since then, the City has increased its budget for transportation projects to make biking and walking safer.
Grand Island, NE
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019
Project Category: Improved wayfinding
Description: Grow Grand Island installed four sculptural, eight-foot-tall wayfinding totems in Railside, an area in the City's downtown. Designed to help visitors learn about Railside and Grand Island's history and art, the totems feature maps and short descriptions in English and Spanish. Each totem is customized based on its location. In addition, the totems include a QR code linking to historical information about the buildings downtown. This online content can be updated when needed. Project organizers say the totems spurred needed repairs for downtown sidewalks and helped garner funding for more wayfinding signs. As downtown grows, organizers say the totems will play an important role in helping pedestrians navigate and appreciate Grand Island.
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West Rutland, VT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018
Project Category: Trails
Description: Visitors walking to West Rutland's public recreation had to walk on the road alongside vehicle traffic. To help residents safety reach the 125-acre greenspace, the Town built a new multiuse trail. The pathway also links to a nearby residential area, giving people easy access to healthy outdoor activities. To accommodate people of all ages and abilities, the pathway has a flat, accessible surface. Project organizers have planned snowshoe tours along the path, as well as a 5K race. They say increased connectivity will give residents better access to physical exercise and draw more visitors to the recreation area. In the future, the Town hope to establish a link from West Rutland's recreation path to Rutland County's trail network.
Rutland, VT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Bike Audits
Description: Vermont Adaptive Ski & Sports addressed barriers that limited older adults and adaptive riders from using wooded trail systems where path width and design often made three wheel bikes difficult to navigate. In a state with a large older adult population, trail managers lacked clear assessments of whether existing routes could safely support these riders. The project conducted adaptive bike assessments across three trail systems, supported by GPS photos shared with land managers. The work increased awareness of how trail design affects access for older adults and adaptive riders. Some trail systems began making upgrades based on the findings. A project lead said the effort reinforced that everyone deserves the opportunity to recreate outdoors.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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