Design First Walters fm qxd 2/26/04 7: 50 pm page I

Green Infrastructure 
(see Plate 15)
As part of our development of the Corridor typology,
we made two main recommendations regarding envi-
ronmental issues.
Recommendation 1: Develop a detailed green space
network that links and completes entire corridors and
protected open spaces
.
We stressed that a ‘green’ network must be estab-
lished as a complement and alternative to the regional
transportation network of roads and planned rail lines.
This network should consist of a combination of the
following green elements:
●
Greenway trails
: Conventional multi-use paths along
creeks and floodplains.
●
Multi-use paths
: Pathways for pedestrians and bicy-
clists that run parallel to main roads or rail lines at
a safe distance.
●
Green streets
: Sidewalks and bicycle lanes along well-
landscaped streets in Mixed-use Centers, Districts
and Neighborhoods.
●
Public parks
: Areas with universal access for passive
or active recreation that are owned and maintained
by a public authority.
●
Conservation areas
: Open spaces that are protected
by contracts, deeds or covenants that protect sensi-
tive environmental features.
This network of linked green spaces would create
a valuable local and regional amenity, and it should
be designed to allow greenways to cross under major
new or expanded highways and rail lines. These
crossings should be wide and high enough to permit
passage of pedestrians, bicyclists and wildlife, and
should be included as the road or rail corridors are
designed and built.
Recommendation 2: Coordinate stream buffer standards
across jurisdictional boundaries
. Buffer widths for
undisturbed vegetation along the banks of streams
vary widely among the participating jurisdictions in
the CORE, from as little as 35 feet to 100 feet (10.6
to 130.5 meters). Coordinated standards should be
established at the high end of the scale to ensure clear
and consistent protection of the local ecosystem.