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Town of Wake Forest (2025) Print
2025 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Transportation
└ Walk Audits
└ Walk Audits
Older residents faced safety and mobility challenges when walking through town, including missing sidewalk connections and obstacles that made short trips less predictable. These gaps limited independence for older adults and others with physical challenges, especially near housing, schools and shopping areas. The Town of Wake Forest addressed the issue by conducting a series of walk audits in different parts of town, starting downtown. Older volunteers documented barriers and identified specific improvements needed to make walking safer and more continuous. Findings were compiled into a presentation for planning staff and elected officials. One audit revealed a sidewalk that stopped short of connecting affordable housing to nearby shops, forcing residents to walk in traffic. That example helped inform discussions tied to the Age-Friendly Action Plan and future decisions about sidewalk connectivity and pedestrian investment.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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See More Projects Like This One
Bemidji, MN
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2026
Project Category: Walk Audits
Description: Three walk audits will assess sidewalks, crossings, seating and sun exposure in a residential area and adjacent park. Community discussions will help translate findings into practical planning actions.
Shreve, OH
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Walk Audits
Description: Cracked and uneven sidewalks made walking unsafe near parks, the library and downtown, limiting mobility for older adults and families. The village organized walk audits with residents and shared findings at a community meeting. It then launched the Sidewalk Improvement Partnership Program, pairing homeowners with the village for repairs. The initiative sparked council involvement and set priorities for phased upgrades, creating a path toward safer, more walkable streets. As one volunteer noted, "I had never fully recognized the challenging experience it could be for elderly individuals, people with disabilities, or those with baby strollers."
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Choteau, MT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Walk Audits
Description: Older adults in Choteau often struggled to reach essential places because of uneven sidewalks, scarce curb cuts and hard-to-navigate intersections. City leaders often lacked data to address these daily obstacles. Walk audits invited residents to identify hazards and document heavily used intersections with the AARP Walk Audit Toolkit. Sharing results with the community sparked dialogue about challenges tied to reaching the post office, library and pharmacy. One participant described walking in the street during winter due to bad sidewalks, later saying she was grateful to have her experience recorded as part of a broader effort. The data is now informing planning discussions and future funding applications that aim to create safer routes and guide long-term improvements.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Wake Forest, NC
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Bike Audits
Description: The Town of Wake Forest examined why older adults and other residents interested in biking often avoid local streets due to disconnected and unsafe infrastructure. Through a series of bike audits involving volunteers from the Senior Center, participants documented where bike lanes end abruptly, crossings felt unsafe and routes failed to connect neighborhoods to greenways. The audits produced clear, location-specific findings and recommendations prepared for planning staff and elected officials. Volunteers noted that riders often gather downtown and then leave town to stay safe, highlighting missed opportunities for local travel. The results are positioned to inform age-friendly planning and support future investments such as safer crossings, clearer signage and expanded bike facilities.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Wake Forest, NC
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2026
Project Category: Transportation Other
Description: This project will install new crosswalks and ADA-compliant curb cuts on a busy road to improve safety and mobility for older adults and residents. The updates will make it easier to walk between downtown, neighborhoods and community facilities.
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