The plans and reports below summarize studies of regional issues that greenways can impact with many recommended steps forward for positive change.
- For the Sake of All – This report explores the unequal distribution of health in St. Louis City and County related to social determinants of health (economic and social conditions that influence the health of people and communities and are shaped by the amount of money, power, and resources that people have). Greenways can be a part of the investment in quality neighborhoods for all.
- Forward Through Ferguson – This report identifies policy calls to action for provide justice and opportunities to thrive for all, focus on youth, and achieve racial equity. As part of the solution, greenways can:
- Use security policies to address use of force and provide adequate and context-sensitive training
- Engage community members in public safety through positive interactions and community-led safety operations
- Inspire learning and provide impactful job training for career readiness
- Coordinate with affordable housing and plan to reduce commute times
- Use tax incentives and/or philanthropic contributions to ensure benefits for the intended marginalized group(s)
- Broadly apply a racial equity framework to all phases of greenway development, leading to intentional investments and practices
- Disaggregate data on greenway impact and organizational operations by race, gender, and ethnicity to identify trends in disparities
- Creatively design greenways to welcome and support all for casual and professional learning, connecting with one another, and dialogue
- Imagining Tomorrow for St. Louis County – This plan outlines a strategy to invest in youth, prepare for an aging population, and address the consequences and cycle of poverty. Greenways can:
- Provide partner programs with community organizations to offer specialized activities with transportation provided to promote increased usage of greenways by youth on afternoons, weekends, and during summer
- Connect older adults to each other and their communities with places to be physically active and opportunities to volunteer and engage in lifelong learning
- Integrate greenways with neighborhood sidewalk networks and park trails to increase access, particularly in areas of large older adult populations, transit-oriented development, and areas of high poverty and disinvestment
- Develop design standards for integration of greenways into new and existing developments
- Use marketing strategies to reinforce a culture of inclusion
- OneSTL – This plan encourages and supports greater sustainability across the eight-county St. Louis region. Greenways help to achieve regional goals related to health, the environment, and the economy.
- Regional Equity Indicators – This project quantifies racial equity in St. Louis City, St. Louis County, St. Charles County, and St. Clair County in response to the Ferguson Commission’s call to action for racial equity benchmarking. Greenways impact indicators of opportunities to thrive such as commuting time, access to parks, and pedestrian injuries.
- Resilient St. Louis – This strategy identifies actions focused on residents, neighborhoods, and systems in St. Louis City to survive, adapt, and thrive through physical, social, natural, and economic shocks and stresses. Greenways are part of the path forward to:
- Engage community members using digital tools to better hear from people who typically can’t take the time to attend meetings
- Provide opportunities for conservation workforce training (particularly for youth) on greenway operations
- Unlock the full potential of our economy by eliminating barriers and making high-quality greenway employment opportunities more accessible to low-income communities and communities of color
- Collaboratively reduce vacant properties and contribute to a community land trust
- Coordinate with other critical infrastructure in the city to be expanded and modernized equitably
- Use the Brickline Greenway to connect people and destinations north and south of the central corridor and coordinate with on-street biking and public transportation plans to further increase transportation choices
- Increase the tree canopy to address stormwater flooding, create wildlife habitat, and reduce the heat island effect
- Put equity at the center of economic development planning to ensure that all residents are included in future growth and redevelopment
- Openly share greenway data to allow for more collaborative and innovative solutions
- St. Louis City Sustainability Plan – This plan provides hundreds of strategies to advance social, environmental, and economic sustainability in St. Louis City. Greenways are a part of the plan to:
- Provide more equitable, convenient, and safe transportation choices
- Increase use, access, and programming of public spaces
- Add to the tree canopy
- Conserve and revitalize biodiversity and natural resources
- Coordinate greenway access with affordable housing
- Provide sustainable uses for underutilized land
- Develop community vibrancy and identity through public art and design
- Equitably engage diverse community members (including youth and seniors) in all phases of greenway development
- Nonviolently resolve conflicts, prevent crime, and encourage positive behavior in public spaces
- Encourage physical activity
- Manage stormwater with nature-based solutions
- Increase environmental literacy among community members
- Invest in people for greater employability and a more prosperous economy
- Where We Stand – The 8th edition of this report provides data for assessing the St. Louis region in comparison to peer metro regions on demographics, land use, housing, transportation, education, income and economic opportunity, economy, health, racial disparity, environment, crime, government, and engagement and access.