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DES MOINES, Iowa — In honor of Pedestrian Safety Month, Ingersoll Avenue underwent a transition to become a safer space for pedestrians and cyclists.

The Avenues of Ingersoll and Grand installed 37 signs at business exits cautioning drivers to watch for pedestrians and cyclists. Three more signs will be installed in the coming weeks for a total of 40 signs at 28 different businesses.

Executive Director of The Avenues, Lauren Kollauf, said the initiative was possible because they received funding from the AARP’s Community Challenge Grant. The grant provided the funding to produce and install the signs.

“This is a nationwide grant, very competitive, so we were very honored to be selected as a recipient,” said Kollauf.

The AARP of Iowa provided a statement about the program.

“This project was a perfect fit for AARP’s Community Challenge Grant program that funds quick-action projects to create tangible, lasting community improvements. These signs are a simple but effective way to remind drivers to be cautious, helping to prevent accidents and enhance the safety of the pedestrians, bikers and motorists out and about on Ingersoll.”

AARP of Iowa

Kollauf said the signs will increase the walkability of Ingersoll Avenue, which is beneficial for many reasons. First, it makes for a safer community, promotes healthier habits, and increases food traffic on the streetscape so more people are likely to visit local businesses.

Last year, Ingersoll saw over two million pedestrians, and between last fall and now, the number of cyclists doubled.

“Ingersoll is a busy corridor for lots of modes of transportation. On Ingersoll we have cars, we have two bus routes, we have people on bikes, and we have pedestrians. We have this beautiful streetscape that encourages everyone to use the street together, and so, increasing awareness of all of the road users is always a good thing,” said Kollauf.

All the signs were created and installed by a local Ingersoll business, Beeline and Blue.

This comes as Des Moines was ranked the fifth safest city for pedestrians out of America’s 101 largest metropolitan areas, in a report released by the National Complete Streets Coalition and Smart Growth America in August.