Wautoma project wins AARP grant aimed at making community more livable for all residents as they age

AARP has announced that 16 organizations in 13 Wisconsin cities – including Wautoma – will receive 2026 AARP Community Challenge grants totaling a combined $193,000.
The City of Wautoma shared that they were selected out of 5,100 applications nationwide for an AARP Community Challenge Grant. Chief Paul Mott submitted the grant on behalf of the city for the installation of a lighted crosswalk at the intersection of Sandcrest Ave and Main Street (Hwy 21/73). The grant award is in the amount of $9,280 and will cover all costs related to installation and materials. On June 24, 2026 the City of Wautoma was presented with a check at the Wautoma Senior Center. Raj Shukla, the AARP Wisconsin Director presented the check to the city. The Waushara County Highway Department will oversee installation of the new signs.
Chief Mott advised he previously worked with REACH Waushara to install a similar crosswalk at the intersection of Main and Scott Streets in 2022. Since then, he has been seeking funding and state approval to install the additional crosswalk lighting at the Sandcrest Ave and Main Street intersection.
Chief Mott stated that since 2021, traffic enforcement by Wautoma Police has increased by around 40 percent, but traffic crashes remain consistent. The attached predictive analytics map was provided by the Wisconsin Department of transportation and highlights high crash areas in Waushara County based on the previous year’s crash report data. The Main Street (Hwy 21/73) is a problem for crashes and two of the top complaints received by the police department are for speed and crosswalk violations. We often receive complaints that we either do too much or too little enforcement, but public safety extends beyond citations and emergency response. AARP’s investment in a lighted crosswalk creates an additional layer of protection for pedestrians, particularly our senior citizens, by increasing visibility and reducing the likelihood of a pedestrian related crash.
Marking the program’s 10th anniversary, the grants are part of an $8.3 million commitment by AARP, doubling last year’s total, to fund 750 quick-action projects nationwide aimed at making communities more livable for people of all ages, especially older adults.
“AARP Wisconsin is proud to work with communities like Wautoma to help make them more livable for people of all ages,” said AARP Wisconsin State Director Raj Shukla. “These projects are about turning great local ideas into real improvements that make everyday life better, especially for older Wisconsinites.