Demonstrating the Benefits of Green Streets for Active Aging: Final Report to EPA

Are residents living near sustainable streets more physically active in their Do residents living near sustainable streets interact with neighbors more and How do green streets affect stormwater flows, mitigate urban heat islands, and improve Introduction This aim of project was to demonstrate how " green " streets may contribute to the well-being of a community, including the physical and mental health of older and younger adults, along with the environment and economy. Green streets are streets that incorporate natural, landscape-based features that infiltrate, reuse, or evapotranspirate stormwater and accommodate multiple travel modes, particularly walking and bicycling (see Figure 1). Green streets are relatively new in practice. Therefore, there is very little published research directly evaluating their multiple potential benefits, particularly secondary benefits (e.g. effects on travel behavior and social interactions). The City of Portland, Oregon is a leader among U.S. cities in implementing green streets. Over the next decade, the City will invest $50 million on a " Grey to Green " campaign to build dozens more facilities. A primary objective of this research was to assess the relationship between green streets and physical activity, social interaction, and neighborhood social capital. The hypothesis is that the green street features may make a neighborhood better for walking and encourage more outdoor activity. This, in turn, may increase social interaction and capital. All of this could positively affect physical and mental health. We were particularly interested in examining potential differences between older (65 years and older) and younger adults. Secondary objectives including assessing the potential effect of green streets on home values and on the physical environment, namely changes in vegetation and stormwater flow. The project examined four areas, two where green streets had been installed (" treatment ") and two control areas and included four elements: (1) a walkability audits to assess features that affect the pedestrian experience; (2) surveys of residents; (3) an evaluation of relationship between home prices and green street features, using a hedonic pricing approach; and (4) an assessment of the environmental effects of the green street features. This report presents the findings from that research. The next section reviews existing research on green streets and similar infrastructure, along with the City of Portland's experience with green streets. That is followed by the specific research questions. The methodology section explains the selection of the study areas and all four methods employed. The findings are then presented, …