East Grand 
Better Block


DES MOINES, IOWA
July 19th, 2018

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In the summer of 2018, AARP Iowa and AARP Livable Communities teamed with Team Better Block to demonstrate an innovative solution to reinvigorate the city’s current protected bike pilot demonstraion on East Grand Avenue.

The goal of East Grand Better Block was to envision a shared use trail that accommodated cyclists, skaters, joggers, people in wheelchairs, and other forms of non-motorized transportation. The community wanted to see East Grand as a place to come and stay, not just a place to get through.

This goal was accomplished through building a trail that focused on one side of the block and was built to demonstrate a raised lane as well as a raised buffer to separate the trail from automobile traffic. Further; seating, landscaping, signage, and lots of color was used to build an iconic trail way that reflected the vibrancy of its location.

Other interventions in the East Grand Better Block included bulbouts, patio seating, a wall mural, colored crosswalks, a bike lane deleneated with trees and planters, and a transit stop.






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