AARP Hearing Center
AARP Livable Communities Map
Walk Austin (2020) Print
2020 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Engaging residents in vibrant public places
└ Engaging residents in vibrant public places
Launched during the COVID-19 pandemic, Austin's Healthy Streets program closed streets to vehicle traffic in several residential neighborhoods. This enabled neighbors to go for walks and ride bikes without needing to dodge traffic. To help residents become advocates for slow streets, project organizers held online meetings with neighbor groups to teach them effective ways to share their opinions with City leadership. Local artists also created street murals to decorate the low-traffic spaces. This ultimately helped keep Healthy Streets alive -- the Transportation Department announced it would wind down the program due concerns about cost and staff capacity. But community advocates documented the benefits of the street closures and urged the city council to keep the project. In 2021, the council voted in to make the program permanent. Project organizers also created a report with best practices to help other communities replicate open streets projects.
Photo Gallery
Image:
Click on a photo to learn more
See More Projects Like This One
Ronceverte, WV
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Engaging residents in vibrant public places
Description: This project will support the creation of a multigenerational entertainment destination and provide low-impact exercise for residents of all ages.
Sacramento, CA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Engaging residents in vibrant public places
Description: Older adults in Sacramento's Meadowview neighborhood faced isolation and health risks tied to a neglected park. To address this, Civic Thread hosted visioning workshops and a pop-up activation at 24th Street Bypass Park, featuring food, music, art and exercise activities designed for people age 50-plus. The event encouraged civic engagement and sparked plans for long-term improvements. Residents expressed excitement about future changes, with one saying she was "so happy to continue to see work being done to make things happen at their park."
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Jackson, MS
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019
Project Category: Engaging residents in vibrant public places
Description: To recast public spaces for people rather than vehicle traffic, the City of Jackson launched an Open Streets initiative. First, the City installed a parklet -- a small park that fits in the footprint of a parking space. "The parklet is just one component of us trying to make Congress Street more pedestrian-friendly. This street was a very automobile-oriented street. It was very traffic heavy. It was very busy," urban designer Travis Crabree said. The City painted a mural onsite. To demarcate the space, project organizers also painted vibrant blue dots along the street, demarking it as a place to gather. Additionally, the City purchased picnic tables and flexible furniture, which it set out in Smith Park. Local organizations -- such as the Parks and Recreation Department -- can now use the furniture for downtown events.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Austin, TX
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Public art installations
Description: Along one stretch of an urban trail, users encountered a space that offered little reason to stop, reflect or connect with the area's past. BikeTexas addressed this by installing a large, multi-panel mural that depicts the neighborhood's early railroad history and the people who shaped it. Community members, including older adults, helped review the design, and professional artists completed the work as a highly visible landmark along the trail. The mural turned an overlooked segment into a place where older adults can pause, walk more comfortably and engage with local history rather than simply pass through. It also added a shared point of interest that encouraged conversation and repeat visits. One trail user said the artwork brightened her regular walks and changed how the space felt, reinforcing the mural's role as a welcoming destination along the trail.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Austin, TX
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Disaster Preparedness
Description: Meals on Wheels Central Texas addressed gaps in disaster preparedness that left many older adults unsure how to respond to emergencies, even as nearby flooding underscored the risks. The project hosted preparedness events at congregate sites, pairing simple first aid and disaster pre-planning with familiar activities such as trivia and bingo to keep learning approachable. Participants received checklists in English and Spanish and assembled home safety kits with essentials like flashlights, batteries and thermal items. One participant said the sessions helped her focus on practical steps after flooding affected her family, noting that thinking through small details made a difference. Attendance increased and requests for more learning followed, prompting the organization to embed preparedness education into regular gatherings so skills continue beyond one-time events.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
LEARN MORE AND STAY INFORMED
Find articles and resources about making communities more livable for people of all ages
Download or order free publications from AARP Livable Communities
Sign up for the free, weekly, award-winning AARP Livable Communities eNewsletter
Don't see your community listed?
LEARN HOW IT CAN JOIN THE NETWORKConnect with your AARP State Office
AARP has offices in all 50 states as well as in the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
AARP Texas State Office
1905 Aldrich St
Suite 210
Austin, TX 78723
United States