Paths Less Paved: How Parks Boost Facility Distribution in the Chicago Lakefront Trail, the Atlanta Beltline, and the Hudson River Waterfront Walkway

Greenways have risen to prominence in recent decades as more cities begin to implement them into their urban planning. They increase access to green space, create a transportation corridor, and are easier to implement into existing space than traditional parks. This thesis explores the facility distribution of three prominent greenways: The Lakefront Trail, the Atlanta Beltline, and the Hudson River Waterfront Walkway. Through a historical analysis and geographic information mapping of the three greenways in which I compared and contrasted existing features and facilities such as comfort stations, transportation facilities, and access points, I found evidence to support the argument that parks that are directly connected to these greenways increase the number and frequency of facilities along the trails. Evidence was also found to support the argument that existing infrastructure decreases the number and frequency of facilities.