Traveler Perspectives of Greenway Quality in Northern New England

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Traveler Perspectives of Greenway Quality in Northern New England

Pettengill, Peter R. / Lee, Brian H. Y. / Manning, Robert E.

Greenways across a range of landscapes from urban to natural serve society as both transportation corridors and recreational pathways. Because of these dual functions, planning and management of greenways warrant an interdisciplinary approach that incorporates frameworks from the fields of transportation and outdoor recreation. Research was conducted to (a) investigate the relationship between transportation and recreation from a greenway user's perspective, (b) consider and integrate transportation and recreation frameworks that measure quality of greenway travel, and (c) determine the significance of settings in user perceptions of quality. On-site surveys of users (n = 841) across three greenways in northern New England were administered to learn how travelers used and perceived the quality of these facilities. Findings showed that greenways were used primarily for recreation but often incorporated varying elements of transportation. Furthermore, traveler perceptions of quality differed across settings. Transportation and recreation planning frameworks can be integrated to provide a more holistic approach to greenway planning and management.