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What is a Greenway?

A greenway is a linear parcel of land set aside to preserve open space. Greenways are generally located in floodplain areas, along wooded stream corridors unsuitable for development. Often these corridors that harbor Cary’s greenway trails provide access to these pristine areas that otherwise would have been lost.

Since 1980, the Town of Cary has been building greenways to bring open spaces within easy walking distance of our homes. Greenways are an environmental, economic, and recreational resource for all to enjoy.

Greenways enhance our lives in many ways by:

  • Providing a recreational amenity for walking, jogging, and bicycling in a natural setting remote from traffic
  • Preserving pristine open space to enhance Cary's quality of life
  • Linking our neighborhoods with parks, schools, community centers, and other neighborhoods
  • Helping control stormwater runoff, curb erosion, and minimize flooding which can damage our property
  • Improving Cary's water quality by buffering streams, filtering pollutants, and recharging our groundwater
  • Adding value to our property by merit of proximity

Cary is a Walk-Friendly Community!

Walk Friendly Communities (WFC) re-designated Cary as a National Walk-Friendly Community at a new Silver Level status (previously bronze) on April 25, 2017. The Walk-Friendly designation is based on community efforts to expand opportunities for walking and improve pedestrian safety across a wide range of programs and activities, from planning and design to outreach and law enforcement. Highlights from Cary's renewal include its robust trail system, bike and hike mobile application, way finding signage, connectivity policy, the newly adopted Cary Community Plan, Watch for Me NC program partnership and the sidewalk request program. Learn more about the Walk-Friendly Community program and Cary's involvement.

The Town of Cary has historically supported and developed opportunities for pedestrian use of its parks and surroundings. Within its parks, there are numerous miles of natural walking trails. Complementing these inside park trails is a system of greenways criss-crossing Cary that the Town continues to develop.

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