Christiansted, VI

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019

Project Category: Trails

Description: The Virgin Islands Trail Alliance and its partners installed the island's first permanent bike path, which extends through Christiansted, an historic town dating back to the 1760s. The Alliance included benches, tables and bike racks along the trail. Work also included applying road stenciling, installing reflectors, markers and lane delineators, planting trees, spreading topsoil and mulch and erecting a historical marker sign. The trail improvements come after a 2017 Walkability Report identified a lack of investment in pedestrian infrastructure in the Virgin Islands. Project organizers say they hope the success of this project highlights the importance of walkability in the Territory. The Alliance is a nonprofit based in St. Croix that aims to create multi-use pathways across the Virgin Islands.

St. Croix, VI

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021

Project Category: Trails

Description: Many trails on St. Croix were impassable after hurricane damage. As part of disaster recovery efforts, Virgin Islands Trail Alliance restored eight miles of rainforest trails. To do this, volunteers cut through foliage, cleared weeds, pulled up roots and raked up debris, allowing the trails to reopen. Additionally, they installed new signage, which help visitors navigate, communicate trail rules and identify tree species. The activation effort also involved installing picnic tables and benches along the path to give people a space to rest. To help visitors access the trails, volunteers cleared parking areas and installed bollards to prevent people from driving vehicles onto the trails. Volunteer workers included participants in a nonprofit program carpentry skills program. Since the restoration, project organizers say hikers and cyclists have returned to the trails.