GREENWAYS …threading through cities and countryside like a giant circulating system U.S. President Commission on American Outdoors, 1987

Greenways are routes dedicated to non-motorised traffic: pedestrians, cyclists, people with limited mobility, horse-riders, roller-skaters,... These routes make use of linear infrastructures partially or completely out of service, such as disused railway lines and canal-towpaths, linked by riverside paths, forest tracks, sections of quiet lanes and traffic calmed roads, and other routes like the great historic itineraries and pilgrims’ routes, etc.

GREENWAYS FUNCTIONS Greenways as habitat greenway’s ability to provide habitat depends upon its size, location and the needs of species Greenways as conduit greenways might connect otherwise isolated parts of the landscape allowing species to reach necessary habitat

GREENWAYS FUNCTIONS Greenways as source source of things which move out, example: source of water for surrounding arid landscape, source of seeds for surrounding urbanized landscape Greenways as sinks it acts as sink when something moves into but doesn’t travel back out, example trapped sediments or toxins

Greenways mend together fragmented cities Environment preserve natural habitat, natural plant communities and wildlife corridors Planning bring order to suburbs and redesign inner city suburbs Community equalize open-space access for the greatest number of people

Characteristics In order to be considered as a Greenway, these routes must comply with a series of common physical characteristics, which permit easy access and use by the maximum possible number of users, i.e. Gentle inclines (maximum 3%) or none at all, Set apart from the road network, Limited number of crossing points with roads. In the case of canals these are virtually non-existent, Route continuity through the maintenance of their public ownership and the selection of connecting routes in sections where this continuity has been lost.

Ferrara walls Ferrara was declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco in1995 and is one of the founding members of the Cities for Cyclists20 network.

Historic bridge Continuity of the route is assured by bridges across roads entering the city.

The "Naviglio Martesana", a greenway in the heart of Milano The creation of the Naviglio Martesana goes back to the 15th century (1457/1460). The canal was mainly designed for agricultural irrigation and supplied power to the mills.

The importance of connections with public transport: Paisley & Greenock Path (UK) Negotiations with the relevantauthorities have enabled the greenway to be linked up to the station. The route ends at the platform itself, from where trains to Glasgow can be caught.

The participation of artists in greenway projects: York-Selby (UK) Most of the time, works are produced with recovered materials: chairs made from railway sleepers, etc., thereby achieving lower production costs. By using materials from local industries, the pieces represent reference points in the history and daily life of the region the route passes through.