Greenways and Trails offer communities many benefits. Headwaters Economics has a great resource page on Measuring the Benefit of Trails to Communities. Some studies highlighting the benefits/impacts of greenways and trails to health, property values, and safety.
Benefits to Health
- As highlighted in a white paper from the American Heart Association, studies have found that building bike/pedestrian trails reduces health care costs associated with physical inactivity. For every dollar invested in building these trails, nearly $3 in medical cost savings may be achieved.
- In the United Kingdom, an analysis of 10 studies found significant long-term and short-term improvements to self-esteem and mood after individuals exercised in the presence of nature.
Increasing Property Values
- Below are a number of studies that highlight property value increases associated with proximity to trails. From these studies we see that proximity to greenways/trails has been associated with increases in property values from 2-20%.
- San Antonio, TX: Trail adjacency associated with a 2% house price premium; Greenbelt adjacency associated with a 3% house price premium; Greenway adjacency (trails with greenbelts) are associated with a 5% house price premium, “The Relative Impacts of Trails and Greenbelts on Home Price.” The Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics.
- In suburban New Castle County, Delaware, homes within 50 meters of bike paths commanded a four percent price premium. “Property Value/Desirability Effects of Bike Paths Adjacent to Residential Areas” Delaware Center for Transportation Working Paper.
- In rural Methow Valley, Washington, homes within one-quarter mile of trails benefited from a 10 percent price premium. “Economic Impacts of MVSTA Trail and Land Resources in the Methow Valley” Methow Valley Sport Trails Association.
- Along a popular trail in Austin, Texas, the price premium ranged from 6 to 20 percent, depending on whether the neighborhood had views of the greenbelt surrounding the trail and whether it had direct neighborhood access to the trail. “An Assessment of Tax Revenues Generated by Homes Proximate to a Greenway” Journal of Park and Recreation Administration.
- In Indianapolis, researchers found that a high-profile, destination trail was associated with an 11 percent price premium for homes within a half mile of the trail. Other trails had no price premium. “Property Values, recreation values and urban Greenways” Journal of Park and Recreation Administration.
Impacts on Safety
Multiple studies have found no change in crime rate after a trail was built.
- In Seattle, Washington and upstate New York, adjacent property owners were concerned about trail-related crime before the trail was built. Researchers found no change in crime rate after the trail was built. “Evaluation of the Burke-Gilman Trail’s Effect on Property Values and Crime” Seattle Engineering Dept. of Planning & “The Mohawk-Hudson Bike-Hike Trail & Its Impact on Adjoining Residential Properties” Schenectady Co. Dept. of Planning.
- A study conducted by the National Park Service looking at rural, suburban, and small town Nebraska trails found the overwhelming majority of survey respondents reported no change in crime after trails were developed.