DIFFERENT TRAILS, DIFFERENT TALES: AN ASSESSMENT OF GREENWAY USE, BENEFITS, AND MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS IN TWO DIVERSE CITIES Samuel J. Keith, Lincoln R. Larson, Jeffrey C. Hallo, C. Scott Shafer, Mariela Fernandez Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management The greenway movement has been considered the “fastest among all planning and design activities in the United States” (Fabos, 2004)
BACKGROUND • • •
Many different types of greenways (Urban, Suburban, and Rural) • Different functions, characteristics and locations Greenway users are typically white, well-educated, high income Greenways can provide unique benefits to community
PURPOSE OF STUDY
Eastside Trail (Urban) Mean user density (per 30 minutes)
168.3
Leon Creek Greenway (Suburban)
ACTIVITY DISTRIBUTION
MODE OF ACCESS Eastside Trail (Urban)
STUDY SITES 1. Eastside Trail of the Atlanta Beltline (Atlanta, Georgia) • Urban greenway near downtown • Connects shops, restaurants, homes • High levels of adjacent population density 2. Leon Creek Greenway of the Howard W. Peak Greenway Trails System (San Antonio, Texas) • Suburban greenway • Within wooded, creek flood-plain corridor • Low levels of adjacent population density
24.9
Walk
Destination
Bicycle Walk
No destination, just recreation
85.9
95.1
Parks/Historic Sites Work/School Restaurants/Stores Other/Multiple
26.0 10.9 47.6 4.4
3.3 3.0 0.7 3.7
METHODS
• Intercept surveys of greenway users at access points • Eastside: n=505 / 65% response rate, Leon Creek: n=429 / 78% response rate
• Direct observation: System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities (SOPARC)
• Eastside: n=2,111, Leon Creek: n=464
Median distance from home (miles)
1.3
3.7
• Gender: • Eastside: 46% Female, 54% Male • Leon Creek: 38% Female, 62% Male • Age: Eastside – 96.1% Adult, Leon Creek – 93.3% Adult • Race/Ethnicity: • Eastside: White (71%), Hispanic (9%), Black (13%), Asian (4%), and Other (3%) • Leon Creek: White (48%). Hispanic (44%), Black (4%), Asian (3%), Other (1%) • Education: • Eastside: 93% college degree • Leon Creek: 80% college degree
Car
Walk/Bicycle
Eastside Trail (Urban)
Exercise
4.55
4.77
Rest/escape city life
4.06
4.12
Experience nature
3.76
3.93
Spend time with family/friends
4.03
3.5
Transportation
3.5
2.25
FUTURE RESEARCH
Motivations
Car
IMPLICATIONS
Leon Creek Greenway (Suburban)
• Provides insight to greenway planners for identifying goals and future locations of greenways • Large percentage of visitors on both greenways (particularly Leon Creek) were racial/ethnic minorities, countering findings from other greenway studies; some trails may attract diverse users • Few children or teenagers on the greenways, highlighting opportunities for improved marketing, design, and programming aimed at youth and adolescents
Leon Creek Greenway (Suburban)
Walk/Bicycle
Run
DEMOGRAPHICS OF USERS
Leon Creek Greenway
Eastside Trail
Bicycle
Run
Public Transporta@on
Public Transporta@on
Skate
Skate
Further explore the value of greenways by examining patterns of greenway use, preferences and perceptions of benefits on an urban and suburban greenway.
Leon Creek Greenway (Suburban)
Eastside Trail (Urban)
Scale: 1 = not at all important, to 5 = extremely important
Perceived benefits
Scale: 1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree that the greenway provides “X” benefits
Experiential
4.37
4.62
Cultural
4.29
3.92
Environmental
3.55
3.81
• Conducting interviews with residents adjacent to the greenways to better understand community perceptions of greenways and potential constraints to use • Continue to explore and characterize visitation patterns and preferences on urban, suburban AND RURAL greenways to better understand how location of greenways affect usage Contact:
[email protected] 
