Functions and Benefits of Urban Greenways Urban greenways can offer important benefits to the communities in which they are located. Environmentally, they help protect vital ecological processes and resources by buffering different land uses, filtering pollutants, connecting fragmented habitats, and slowing the movement of flood waters.
Greenways also provide safe, convenient, and pleasant routes for pedestrian and bicycle travel.
The use of greenways for non-motorized transportation can lead to the additional environmental benefits of reducing fossil fuel use and improving air quality. Greenways also offer opportunities for recreational activities such as walking, jogging, and bicycling. Such activities can have important health benefits, including reduced risk of heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes. Economically, greenways benefit communities by attracting new development and tourism, raising property values, and reducing public expenditures for natural hazard control. Additionally, greenways can help preserve historic and cultural sites and improve the aesthetic quality of neighborhoods.