AARP Community Challenge Grant Helps Hialeah Create Safer, More Age-Friendly Streets

The City of Hialeah, a winner of 2025’s AARP Community Challenge grant program, recently unveiled a refurbished main street complete with updated crosswalks that improve visibility, walkability, and pedestrian safety.

Safe streets and walkable neighborhoods are essential for helping people remain active, independent, and connected as they age. For many older adults, something as simple as crossing the street can become a challenge when traffic moves too fast or crosswalks are hard to see. Enhanced crosswalk designs draw drivers’ attention, encourage slower speeds, and make crossings more visible and welcoming for pedestrians.

AARP’s 2025 Community Challenge Grant program, supported by Toyota, aimed to combat this issue through funding pedestrian safety projects to improve streets and sidewalks nationwide. The City of Hialeah was one of these recipients, awarded $19,000 to revitalize their roads.

In Hialeah, the new crosswalks feature black-and-white designs inspired by dominoes, a nod to the city’s rich cultural identity. By combining creativity with function, the project improves safety while celebrating the community it serves. The enhanced crosswalks serve as a visible reminder that streets should work for everyone, especially those who rely on walkable communities to stay engaged and independent. This successful project is also part of AARP’s broader work to support age-friendly communities throughout Florida and aligns with Miami-Dade County’s goal of becoming more age-friendly. These efforts focus on improving walkability, accessibility, and safety so residents can confidently age in place.

“At AARP, we are committed to creating communities where people can age safely and confidently. These enhanced crosswalks are a powerful example of how AARP’s Community Challenge grant brings local partners and volunteers together to improve walkability, slow traffic, and make streets safer for older adults and people of all ages, said Yessenia Perez, Associate State Director of Outreach & Engagement at AARP Florida.

AARP Florida is proud to partner with communities like Hialeah to develop safer, more livable neighborhoods and advance solutions that make Florida a great place to age, today and for generations to come.

Do you think your community would make a great fit for an AARP Community Challenge grant? Applications are now open for 2026. Apply now at aarp.org/communitychallenge.