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Why Greenway Stimulus? Infrastructure. Equity. Jobs.
As we look toward recovery in 2021, our nation needs to make visionary infrastructure investments that spur strong economic recovery and a healthy, equitable future. Our country needs to put people back to work through $10 billion in infrastructure investment for safe active transportation that connects all 50 states across America from our biggest cities to our smallest towns, from our cultural heritage corridors to our national parks. The resulting people-centered transportation network has the potential to generate $100 billion in return for all to enjoy.
Research by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials found that work building greenways, bike lanes and sidewalks generates 50 percent more jobs per dollar invested than highways and other projects. Based on their research, a $10 billion dollar federal investment would generate 170,000 American jobs.
Contact
For more information and to request interviews with Greenway Stimulus leadership, contact East Coast Greenway Alliance Communications Manager John Martin at john@greenway.org or 919-338-3728.
Photos
Click to access hi-resolution images suitable for print or online publication.
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Letter to Congress
Click to view the initial Greenway Stimulus letter sent to Congressional leaders in May 2020.
Other Resources
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2019 study: “Investing in Our Future: Quantifying the Impact of Completing the East Coast Greenway in the Delaware River Watershed”
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2017 study: “The Impact of Greenways in the Triangle”
Testimonials
Hear from industry leaders on why they support Greenway Stimulus:
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Keith Benjamin, Director of the Department of Traffic and Transportation, City of Charleston: “With the support of the East Coast Greenway Alliance, the City of Charleston received an $18.1 million federal grant for a dedicated bike and pedestrian bridge making over 73,000 jobs accessible within a 20-minute radius and activating over 12 miles of greenway. We understand that as we balance mobility, resiliency and affordability, elevating equitable transportation not only solves problems today but helps us reimagine what community should look like in the future.”
Jane Buxton, MLA, PhD, Faculty of Practice, Department of Landscape Architecture, University of Rhode Island: "Now, more than ever, we need to push forward with green infrastructure strategies."
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Meg Daly, President/CEO, Friends of The Underline, Miami: “From a global pandemic to racial equity, the past months have tested the resiliency of communities throughout the world, while pushing really important conversations into our view. Let's rethink how our streets work for our community while we deliver tangible safety improvements for outdoor movement now and in the future post pandemic.”
Chuck Flink, FASLA, Greenways Incorporated, former trustee and chair of the East Coast Greenway Alliance, author of The Greenway Imperative: "We have been building to this for more than 100 years, and with stimulus investment we can finish elements of a coast-to-coast greenway network that will benefit America’s urban and rural communities, support the robust outdoors economy, and establish critical corridors of connected greenspace to mitigate the impacts of climate change. We can do this!"
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Heather Hodges, Executive Director, Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor NHA: “The Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor Commission NHA is supportive of projects designed to improve the ability of pedestrians and cyclists to navigate the Corridor. We have long been formally partnered with the East Coast Greenway Alliance and support projects across the southeast to create paths and trails that can help people develop active lifestyles, connect communities and boost local economic development with minimal impacts on the environment that Gullah Geechee people have made their home for centuries.”
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Pat King, East Coast Greenway Alliance co-founder & Advisory Board chair: "Like our National Parks, greenways are an asset we must encourage and support in whatever way possible. Greenways allow all kinds of activities for individuals and families, for commuters and recreational runners, walkers and cyclists. They provide safe, accessible transportation alternatives in our rural, suburban and urban neighborhoods and the benefits are many: environmental, economic and health. Best of all, they are open to all."
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Terry Landreth, Georgia trail advocate and owner Camden Bicycle Center: “Today and after COVID-19, I hope everybody sees greenways as a necessity for your community.”
Jeff Olson, Senior Advisor, Alta Planning + Design: “Greenways are the most cost-effective, equitable and sustainable infrastructure that we can build for America’s post-pandemic recovery. Now is the time for a national investment to transform our communities for the next generation.”
Mitchell Silver, Commissioner, New York City Parks & Recreation: “The value of parks after this pandemic is going to elevate. This is not just a ‘nice to have,’ but now an essential and vital part of our civic infrastructure.”
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Signature Project: East Coast Greenway by the numbers
3,000 miles: The length of the Greenway's spine route, from Maine's Canadian border to the tip of Florida. Another 1,000 miles make up our complementary routes.
450 communities: The East Coast Greenway travels through major cities such as New York, Boston and Miami, as well as smaller cities and towns.
15 states: The opportunity to connect people and communities across 15 states — plus Washington, DC — has led to strong partnerships and alliances.
25 million people: Population within 5 miles of the East Coast Greenway.
33 percent off road: More than 1,000 miles of Greenway are now on protected paths .
$1 million: Average cost to build one mile of Greenway; costs vary widely depending on geography. Since our founding, more than $1 billion has been invested in the Greenway.
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50 million visits: With 50 million bike rides, runs and walks projected on the route in 2020, the East Coast Greenway is poised to become the most popular park in America.
Greenway Glossary
Bike lane: A lane on a roadway designated by striping, signing and pavement markings for the
preferential use of bicyclists.
Complete street: A street designed and operated to enable safe travel for all users, including bicyclists.
Greenway: A corridor of undeveloped land preserved for recreational use or environmental protection. In East Coast Greenway Alliance terms, a greenway is a transportation and recreation facility for bicyclists, pedestrians and perhaps other non-motorized users.
Separated bike lane: An exclusive facility for bicyclists that is located within or directly
adjacent to the roadway and that is physically separated from motor vehicle traffic with a vertical element. The vertical element may be flexible, such as vertical delineators, or firm and fixed, such as concrete bollards or planters, or even non-permanent, such as a row of parked cars. A separated bike lane may also be grade-separated. It can be for one-way traffic or two-way traffic.
Shared-use path: A paved bikeway physically separated from motorized traffic that may also be used by pedestrians and others.
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