Greenways Incorporated has worked in over 100 communities across the country in greenway system planning and greenway trail design. We develop greenway master plans and strategic action plans at the multi-jurisdictional level, county level, municipality level, and at the residential/mixed-use development level. We plan and design greenway systems that include a combination of conservation corridors, natural paths, mixed-use paved paths, on-road bicycle lanes and sidewalks, and water trails. Our projects range significantly in scale, including:
> Cross-state linear greenways, like the 450-mile Susquehanna Greenway, the 230-mile Eastern Segment of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, and the nation’s first bi-state greenway, the Greater Grand Forks Greenway.
> Citywide and countywide greenway networks, such as those in Kansas City, MO, the City of Greenville, SC, and Mecklenburg County, NC.
> Rail-to-trail greenways, such as the American Tobacco Trail.
> Urban corridor greenways, like those along the North Delaware River, Frankford Creek, and the Miami River.
> Smaller-scale greenways, such as the 1-mile Swift Creek Recycled Greenway.
> Smaller-scale greenway systems, such as those we design for progressive developers, as seen in Briar Chapel; and those designed for large private landowners, as with the Anne Springs Close Greenway.
As part of our planning and design process for greenways, we generate maps and reports that outline existing resources, recommendations, and strategies for implementation. Preliminary recommendations are derived through an analytical process based on GIS data, environmental determinants, field evaluations, and public input. Additionally, we use the Hubs & Spokes model and philosophy of connectivity when developing our greenway networks. Details regarding our methods and strategies are outlined in a book that we co-authored, Greenways: A guide to Planning, Design, and Development, an award-winning "how-to" book on greenways.
A solid understanding of current conditions and a dynamic set of recommendations are both key to a successful project---however, it is not enough to simply recommend a greenway system. We generate implementation programs with action steps to guide our clients through a phased development process. We create stronger policy language in local ordinances to ensure greenway construction as part of residential development, and redefine greenways as ‘infrastructure’ to protect local water resources. We produce design guidelines and standards for construction of trails and trail-amenities, addressing multiple trail uses, safety, and aesthetics. Once greenway development has occurred, it is also critical to have a plan in place that addresses operations, maintenance, and programming to protect it as a resource, and encourage its continued use. We generate all such elements in our plans, including cost estimates and funding options, using only the most up-to-date and relevant sources available.
