INDIANAPOLIS — The city of Indianapolis has initiated a task force aimed at enhancing pedestrian safety and accessibility. The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) is contributing to this effort by supporting local initiatives.
In the Chatham Arch neighborhood, located in downtown Indianapolis, a significant portion of the population is aging. Residents have voiced concerns about walkability due to heavy traffic on 10th Street. They are hopeful that a grant from AARP will help reduce speeds along this busy city street.
“A year ago, we had a community survey, and pedestrian safety was ranked number one or number two in 60 percent of all the survey responses as a priority for the neighborhood residents,” Jeffery Thompkins, a Chatham Arch resident, said.
Thompkins is an urban planner and a member of the Chatham Arch Neighborhood Association. He notes that approximately one-third of the community is over the age of 50, and many residents have expressed worries about the speed of traffic on 10th Street.
"It really impairs the ability for people with strollers or walkers or young children," Thompkins said. "Even myself, as a 33-year-old male, crossing with my bike to get over to this interview, I had to wait for several cars going 40 miles an hour. The speed limit is 25."
The Chatham Arch neighborhood plans to use a $7,500 grant for a tactical urbanism project designed to slow down traffic. This project will feature a temporary installation, with the intent of assessing its effectiveness while collaborating with the Department of Public Works (DPW).
“So one of our main priorities at AARP is to help people be able to age in place and stay in their homes for as long as possible. So a part of that is helping to make communities more livable and more age-friendly,” Emily Goreman, the Director of Community Engagement at AARP Indiana, said.
Since 2017, AARP has awarded 49 Community Challenge grants in Indiana, investing a total of $550,000. Funds that the Chatham Arch community hopes will contribute to making their neighborhood safer.
"This is a great opportunity to not only make the streets more livable here but increase the quality of life,” Thompkins said.
The neighborhood plans to install the tactical urbanism project in August. It will remain in place until October, after which the results will be evaluated by DPW to determine an appropriate course of action moving forward.
