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Mike Watson, director of Livable Communities at AARP, said the 38-million-member interest group champions bottom-up planning — working in more than 1,000 communities to support local efforts to create age-friendly communities.
Watson said planning for seniors could be as simple as
creating a plan for wide, unobstructed, accessible sidewalks and safe
crosswalks.
AARP has developed a free online Walk
Audit Toolkit to empower communities
to “assess and report on the safety and walkability of a street, intersection
or neighborhood — and inspire needed change.”
“Walk audits are such an important way to increase
pedestrian safety through neighborhood design that engages neighborhood
residents, activists, elected officials and city staff,” he said.
“AARP state offices have done thousands of them and it’s such an important learning tool to show pedestrian mobility issues through different perspectives.
Bring the department of public works director, the city
council member, or the mayor out to see barriers to moving about, pushing a
stroller or rolling in a wheelchair.”
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