A comparison of greenways (just images at this time)

Harrisonburg, VA

Two Community Greenways (Austin, Texas)

Burke Gilman Trail (Seattle, Washington)

Links for more information

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy

American Trails

Greenways (Virginia's Department of Conservation & Recreation)

The Conservation Fund (American Greenways Program) has prepared a brief report documenting how crime, vandalism, and other disturbances may actually decrease following the creation of a greenway.
Crime and Vandalism (Florida Greenways and Trails)

Lots of neat stuff to be added later this summer.

Greenways can play a proactive role in crime prevention. Parks, greenways, and open spaces shouldn't be just another form of urban vegetation  that is to be tolerated and kept in it's place. There are many different ways greenways can benefit the community:

• Walkers and cyclists may see the greenways as an opportunity to tie together existing parks. Without a dedicated path, it's very difficult for a pedestrian to travel in areas designed for vehicular traffic. In fact, the greenway can be thought of as a "linear park." 
• Teachers see an education benefit.
• The mayor may see a cost effective tool for cleaning the air and water in his community.
• Homeowners see their property value increasing.
• Environmentalists see a positive step made in helping to preserve biodiversity.
• Law enforcement may look at greenways as opportunities to transform vacant lots into safe and secure areas that attract citizens.

Design
Greenways are more likely to experience success when citizen groups take the initiative and define the location and function. It's important to get a variety of groups in the community to take ownership of the greenway. These groups include joggers and walkers, bird clubs, and garden clubs. If these groups have a strong interest in the greenway they are more likely to provide natural surveillance, exhibit territoriality, and assist in maintenance. However, when multiple groups are involved, there is the risk of conflicts that should be addressed during the design phase of a greenway. For example, members representing the bird club may request dense vegetation or "wild" areas that provide food and shelter for birds. Joggers and cyclists may request just the opposite in order to maintain a clear line of vision for obstacles and pedestrians on the greenway. Throughout the entire planning and design process there should be a CPTED representative present. In the future, it would be beneficial to have statements recognizing the importance to design with respect to CPTED, just as there is for adherence to guidelines from the Americans with Disability Act. 

Greenways pose a particular challenge for law enforcement since they run through differently zoned areas and the trail brings together diverse groups of people. It's not uncommon to see young people rollerblading around senior citizens out for a stroll. 

I observed these two diverse populations utilize the same space in Seattle (Washington) on the Burke-Gilman trail because the trail existed of two surfaces: asphalt for the rollerbladders and cyclists and crushed sandstone for the joggers and walkers.    

Maintenance
As stated in the Background and Introduction, next to proper design and plant selection, maintenance is probably the most important thing that can be done to effectively implement CPTED in a natural area. This includes prompt removal of graffiti  and keeping restroom facilities clean and serviceable. To really be successful, the responsibility for keeping an natural area clean should be shared equally between the municipality and the citizens. Communities can schedule clean-up days and acknowledge the efforts of volunteer organizations with signage. Anytime the community can invest "sweat equity" in a project they will feel a sense of ownership and will defend their space (territoriality).

Creating Windows: One example of finding a balance between improving safety and maintaining appearances.
Pruning to make an area "safer" doesn't necessarily mean that the area has to look as if the area is an isolated military post in dense jungle. Excessive pruning and removals in a natural area is a form of target hardening and may unintentionally become less attractive to the public. One strategy is to prune and plant to create windows through vegetation (vista pruning). This may be achieved in a way that balances the needs of natural surveillance/removing areas of concealment while still maintaining the majority of the existing vegetation. When the public doesn't feel safe, they will avoid areas in the city. These underused spaces will then become occupied by the unintended users which in turn make the space even more unappealing to law abiding citizens. this makes the selection process of urban areas for greenways critical. Based on an extensive survey of how people occupy urban spaces, one researcher (Whyte, 1980) strongly recommends not locating open spaces, parks, or even plazas in sunken areas. It has been my personal experience that greenways located in depressed areas (i.e. along streams) are underused by the public and not recognized as maintenance priority by the city. 

Trailheads
Trailheads are the areas where users access the greenway, and trailheads are usually the place where users park their vehicles. These trailheads are the main hot spots associated with greenways and require extensive CPTED. Why are they considered hot spots? The combination of unattended vehicles, joggers leaving behind valuables while running, lack of natural surveillance (low levels of activity in parking lots) make trailhead very appealing to criminals. It's important to have natural surveillance of these trailheads from primary roads and business/residential establishments. . 

Concentrating Maintenance Efforts At Trailheads: Stopping the Smash and Grab
Vegetation near parking areas and places frequently used by pedestrians should be held to a different standard than vegetation located along the greenway trail. There is a higher likelihood of assaults and robberies when areas of concealment are located in close proximity to individuals entering and leaving their vehicles in parking lots, especially if the parking lot is located at a park or greenway trailhead. Based upon interviews with law enforcement officers and superintendents responsible for security at park, Michael and Hull (1994) concluded that trailhead parking lots, associated with parks and trails, were the most likely areas to experience criminal activity. Criminals use existing vegetation around the parking lots for concealment as they target individuals hiding possessions in the car before leaving for a hike or jog. After the criminal is confident the victim is involved in a lengthy activity and there is little chance of being observed by others, he will rapidly gain entry into the vehicle (i.e. breaking a window), remove the valuables, and return to his area of concealment within minutes. 

Parker (2000), a British architect and town planner, states that there are only four things that can be done to make natural areas safer:

• thin out undergrowth
• planting prickly shrubs
• open up views
• improve lighting

In addition to the above modifications to the natural and built environment, he recommends introducing communal events and activities such as jogging and concerts. 

I'm a little put off by his assessment and would recommend moving "introducing communal events and activities" to the top of the list. Again, it's imperative that we identify the purpose of the space and then make sure the landscape is supporting the purpose. This is especially important for greenways. 

[Research reasons why robberies are more likely at parking areas than elsewhere on the trail. Research statistics on smash and grabs along parks/trails]

Michael, S.E. & R.B. Hull. 1994. Effects of Vegetation on Crime in Urban Parks. Interim Report. Blacksburg, VA: Department of Forestry, College of Forestry and Wildlife Resources, Virginia Tech.

Parker, J. 2000. Safer Spaces & Places: Reducing Crime By Urban Design. Council of Europe International Conference On The Relationship Between The Physical Urban Environment And Crime Patterns. Szczecin, Poland. October 19-21, 2000.

Whyte, W.H. 1980. The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces. New York: Project for Public Spaces.