An Action Plan for Creating Connections was produced with funding allocated to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation by the Federal Highway Administration through the Transportation Enhancements Program. This commitment honors the strong tradition of open space preservation that William Penn set in motion in the 1600s. An Action Plan for Creating Connections. William Penn's vision for the Commonwealth recognized the need to preserve substantial portions of land, even while its communities grew and flourished. Today's greenways thread their way across our landscape providing limitless opportunities for conservation, recreation, alternative transportation and hands-on environmental education.
Greenways encompass diverse types of corridors across both urban and rural Pennsylvania.
They follow rivers and mountain ridges or include bicycle routes along roadways and through downtowns. Greenways allow us to walk or bicycle to work or school and encourage people and families to enjoy Pennsylvania's great outdoor heritage. The goals set forth in this Action Plan reflect input from thousands of Pennsylvanians. They told us that the state's outdoor resources are vitally important and that a network of greenways should connect every community. We are especially grateful for the work of the Pennsylvania Greenways Partnership Commission, who provided leadership and direction to a plan designed to make greenways a vital component of all Pennsylvania communities and the state's tourism economy.