The Downtown Development District has received a Community Challenge Grant from AARP to continue the implementation of decorative crosswalks along Third Street, the primary corridor of the Arts and Entertainment District in Downtown Baton Rouge. The goal of this project is to make the Arts & Entertainment District a safe and enjoyable place for all users, especially pedestrians.

Once fully implemented, this project will provide safety and aesthetic improvements at five intersections along Third Street from Convention Street to North Street. These high visibility crosswalks will be designed to complement the one that was installed at the intersection of Third and Florida Streets in 2019, which incorporates motifs from the downtown wayfinding signage that are inspired by historic buildings and other elements of Downtown Baton Rouge.

This is the first time the DDD has received an AARP Community Challenge Grant. The project will be completed by November 2021.

About the AARP Community Challenge Grant
The AARP Community Challenge is a grant program to make communities more livable for people of all ages with tangible improvements that jump-start long-term change. AARP believes that great communities take a long time to build and sustain, but also believes that "quick actions" can be the spark for long-term progress. In its 5th year, AARP is announcing the largest number of Community Challenge grants to date, awarding more than $3.2 million among 244 grantees across all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.