Creating Green Infrastructure

Summary

Communities are made less resilient when they rely on cars and fast speed highways as their only major form of transportation. When this happens, a pattern of decentralized development occurs and infrastructural investments are largely directed towards the expensive roads that are required to support this system. In addition the high costs of transportation leveraged on the individual means that lower income residents are immobilized. Their ability to get jobs is marginalized. In response to this problem, Shelby County, TN has decided to implement a series a green infrastructure upgrades. Here, a suite of new parks, trails, pedestrian and bicycle paths, and other green assets will be built with a strong emphasis on interconnectivity.

A visualization of this newfound green infrastructure can be seen on the 'Concept Map' Resource linked below.