ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the distinctiveness of greenways within hypothesized processes of real estate amenity capitalization and discusses some of the ways that greenways figure into a larger regional context. The nascent Catawba Regional Trail (CRT) system consists of 78 miles passing through urban and rural settings; 75 additional miles of greenway have been proposed, which would bring the trail's total length to 153 miles. In the Carolinas, the CRT follows the Catawba River and its tributaries. The CRT is still under construction, though a substantial greenway system exists in Mecklenburg County. A development of new houses that contains a private greenway system, open only to residents, can command a substantially higher premium, which is reflected in the initial sales price of the house. Greenways are generally designed to link residential areas and parks, as well to provide opportunities for many types of outdoor recreation including walking, jogging, bicycling, and inline skating.
