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Smart Growth America, CDC Launch ‘Champions Institute’ to Promote Complete Streets and Physical Activity

August 12, 2020News and UpdatesAccess/Equity/Inclusion, community design, Complete Streets, social determinants of health, transportation, walkabilityJames Fuccione

Smart Growth America (SGA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity are now accepting applications for the Champions Institute, a new initiative for elected officials focused on safe streets and healthy communities. This is an opportunity for elected leaders of Age-and Dementia Friendly Communities to learn more about the concepts of Complete Streets and inclusive street policies and practices.

The Champions Institute will serve to prepare mayors, city council people, tribal representatives, and other local elected-officials to act as champions supporting plans, policies, and funding that promote activity-friendly routes to everyday destinations, as part of the Active People, Healthy Nation Initiative. Continue reading →

AARP and Main Street America Launch Series on ‘Open Streets’ Programs

July 29, 2020Data and Reports, News and UpdatesAccess/Equity/Inclusion, age-friendly business, age-friendly communities, community design, COVID-19, grants, transportationJames Fuccione

In partnership with the AARP Livable Communities Team, Main Street America is launching a series of briefs to explore the benefits of open streets programs, outline a set of priorities local leaders should consider when implementing these initiatives, and provide examples of open streets projects in two Main Street communities. Continue reading →

MassDOT Announces “Shared Streets and Spaces” Funding Recipients

July 29, 2020News and UpdatestransportationJames Fuccione

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is announcing that six municipalities are receiving funding totaling more than $288,000 in the third round of funding in the Baker-Polito Administration’s Shared Streets & Spaces Program.

The program to date has given out a total amount of more than $1.7 million to 22 municipalities, of which 73% are Environmental Justice communities. Continue reading →

Take the ‘Cycling Past 50’ Survey from AARP

July 22, 2020News and Updatesage-friendly communities, community design, transportationJames Fuccione

An AARP survey is compiling data about cycling and people age 50 or older in order to inform local leaders, transportation practitioners and community members so they can encourage and plan for better and safer bicycling experiences for people of all ages. Continue reading →

New WalkBoston Guides Offer Infrastructure Improvements and Policies to Promote Age-Friendly Walking

July 16, 2020News and Updatesage-friendly business, age-friendly communities, community design, transportation, walkabilityJames Fuccione

As communities continue to look at safe reopening practices during COVID-19, WalkBoston is releasing a timely pair of resources aimed at improving physical infrastructure and highlighting policies that promote age-friendly walking. Continue reading →

New Walk Audit Worksheets Available for Communities Working to Become Age-Friendly

July 8, 2020News and Updatestransportation, walkabilityJames Fuccione

The new AARP Walk Audit Worksheets are easy to print from home, easy to complete, and easy to use by anyone who want to make their community more livable and pedestrian-friendly for people of all ages. Each worksheet can be used on its own or in combination. Each can be printed anew for observing a different street or block. Continue reading →

NACTO Releases ‘Streets for Pandemic Response and Recovery’ Resource

July 2, 2020News and Updatescommunity design, grants, transportation, walkabilityJames Fuccione

As communities work to reopen and recover from COVID-19 and the appetite for re-imagining streets and public spaces improves, the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) released a resource displaying transportation and street design practices in response to the pandemic. Continue reading →

Webinar: Including Older Adults in Transportation Planning

July 1, 2020News and UpdatesAccess/Equity/Inclusion, transportationJames Fuccione

The Mass. Healthy Aging Collaborative encourages age-friendly community stakeholders and organizational partners to join MassMobility and the Moving Maine Network for a peer learning webinar on inclusive transportation planning on July 23 from 1-2:30pm.

Attendees will hear from three initiatives – two in Massachusetts and one in Maine – that are working to increase the role that older adults and people with disabilities play in planning and implementing community transportation services. Continue reading →

Age-Friendly Funding Alert: MassDevelopment, MassMobility, Dept. of Conservation & Recreation

June 24, 2020News and UpdatesgrantsJames Fuccione

The Mass. Healthy Aging Collaborative reminds age-friendly communities and other stakeholders that several opportunities exist around creating “shared streets and spaces,” as the state works to reopen amidst COVID-19. Please see our previous blog post for more information on this set of funding opportunities, as well as others to support communities for all ages below: Continue reading →

Age-Friendly Funding Alert: MassDOT and Barr Foundation Announce ‘Shared Streets & Spaces” Opportunity

June 18, 2020News and Updatesgrants, transportation, walkabilityJames Fuccione

MassDOT, in partnership with the Barr Foundation, is announcing Shared Streets & Spaces, a funding program to provide technical and funding assistance to help Massachusetts cities and towns conceive, design and execute shared streets and spaces projects and engage their residents and businesses in that process.

This builds off the recently announced “Streets for Recovery” funding opportunity from the Solomon Foundation – all of which provide incredible opportunities for age-and dementia friendly community stakeholders. Continue reading →