Century Walk Audit Project Moves Forward With Thursday Training Session

September 9, 2026

The Town of Century will hold a volunteer training session Thursday evening as work continues on an AARP Community Challenge grant project to assess local pedestrian safety and accessibility.

The meeting is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. at Century Town Hall.

The initiative is funded by a $2,500 grant through the nationwide AARP Community Challenge program. The project aims to identify barriers to mobility, document walking conditions, and highlight future infrastructure improvement opportunities for the town, with a special focus on residents aged 55 and older.

During an initial kick-off meeting, organizers and local residents began planning audit routes based on where pedestrian traffic is most common. The group selected three preliminary corridors for further evaluation:

  • East Hecker Road
  • The Dollar General area
  • The Food Giant area

Thursday’s session will serve as the official walk audit training. Attendees will finalize the audit routes, develop a necessary supply list, and review the AARP Walk Audit reporting worksheets that volunteers will use to evaluate conditions in the field.

Organizers emphasize that participation is open to community members of all ages and abilities, and volunteers do not need to walk long distances to take part. Residents who prefer not to walk can assist from stationary positions—such as bringing a chair to observe traffic patterns, driver behavior, and pedestrian activity from a fixed location. Individuals with limited mobility are also encouraged to participate by evaluating the routes and offering observations using Google Earth.

The actual walk audits are expected to take place in late September or October. During the audits, volunteers will assess crosswalks, traffic speeds, sidewalks, signage, lighting, shade, and seating availability.

The findings will be compiled into a final report presented to the Century Town Council by December to help guide future pedestrian infrastructure decisions. The grant funding covers the study itself, while any future physical improvements will remain at the discretion of the town council.

Pictured top: Century Town Council member Sparkie Harrison (left) marks a typical walking route on an oversized map of Century in July. Pictured below: Some of the areas that were marked during a July 30 meeting. (Self-adhesive “Sign Here” indexing flags were being used to mark the map; they do not represent literal sign placements.) NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under FRONT TOP 

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