When aging infrastructure is revamped into public green space The U.S. is full of jaw-dropping parks, from expansive National Parks like the Grand Canyon to carefully cultivated botanical gardens like Portland?s Japanese Garden. But one of the most unique green spaces in cities is the linear park.
Longer than they are wide, linear parks take people on a journey through the city. They can be as short as a few blocks?even the expanse of a single bridge?or as long as several miles, but linear parks differ from traditional green spaces thanks to their proportions. They often serve as a link in a city?s plans to boost alternative transportation, a thoroughfare carrying pedestrians, rollerbladers, bikers and more.
In traveling from one block or neighborhood to the next, people see the city through a different lens when they use a linear park. This is especially true because many linear parks are repurposed from elevated historic rail lines or highways, transforming infrastructure into a space for recreation. Although the difference between a linear park and a trail or bike path can get a bit confusing, linear parks aren?t only used for transportation. The parks have overlooks, playgrounds, art installations, and places to picnic; these are spaces that encourage both movement and relaxation.
And because it is nearly impossible to carve out more New York-inspired Central Parks in dense cities across the country, linear parks are an excellent way to add green space to urban...