MassDOT Receives AARP Grant to Support Bikeshare Education for Older Adults
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) today announced it has been awarded an AARP Community Challenge Flagship Grant to launch a bikeshare education and activation program for Massachusetts adults ages 50 and older.
The programs will be launched in Everett, Worcester, and Springfield with participants from surrounding communities welcome.
The program will focus on older adults who may be interested in biking or bikeshare but would benefit from instruction, encouragement, and peer support before trying it on their own. The grant supports implementation of a practical, hands-on program designed to help older adults build confidence using bikeshare systems and trail infrastructure. The program will include classroom learning, hands-on riding instruction, a guided group ride, peer conversations, accessible educational materials, and follow-up community discussions.
Up to 20 participants in each community will take part in a two-day "confidence clinic" that includes basic riding instruction, safety information, access to basic riding equipment, and bikeshare passes. The clinics will be followed by community "fireside chats" featuring older adult riders who can share their experiences, answer questions, and help normalize bikeshare as an affordable and accessible local transportation and recreation option.
AARP Community Challenge grants support quick-action projects that help communities become more livable for people of all ages. The Flagship Grant program focuses on improving public places, transportation, housing, digital connections, and other community features that support age-friendly communities.
The older adult education and activation grant builds on MassDOT's broader work to support safe, accessible, and connected transportation options. This includes Complete Streets, Shared Streets and Spaces, MassTrails, bikeshare expansion, and ongoing micromobility safety and policy work including the Ride Safe Act. The Ride Safe Act, proposed by Governor Healey and Lt. Governor Driscoll, seeks to make bike lanes and trails safer for all residents including older adults by establishing a consistent set of rules to be implemented across the Commonwealth.
"This grant is exciting because it gives MassDOT an opportunity to help older adults become more comfortable with bikeshare and other active transportation options in their community," said Interim Transportation Secretary and MBTA General Manager Phil Eng. "The Healey-Driscoll Administration has made important investments in trails, Complete Streets, Shared Streets and Spaces, bikeshare, and safer infrastructure across Massachusetts. This program helps connect residents directly with those investments by giving them the tools, confidence, and support to try micromobility options for themselves. We are grateful to AARP for recognizing the importance of this work and for partnering with us to help build a more equitable and accessible multimodal transportation network across the state."
As bikeshare services become available in more communities across Massachusetts, the grant is intended to help older adults take advantage of growing local micromobility resources. The program will develop a practical, replicable model that can be adopted by communities across the state to encourage safe and confident use of bikeshare and other local micromobility options. To support this, the work will include a public resource page, AARP-branded outreach materials, event documentation, and participant surveys.
More information about the program, including clinic dates, registration details, and community resources, will be made available on the MassDOT website.
Tags: MassDOT,
