Search

The living environment has widely recognized consequences on the well-being of city-dwellers. Green streets, integrated in a network of parks and green space, can increase liveability of everyday landscapes and the health of residents, supporting and stimulating physical and psychological benefits. Greenways, in fact, are key infrastructures for the practice of physical activity and consequently have an important function of the reduction of diseases caused by a sedentary lifestyle. Beyond promoting exercise, a number of studies have proved that the perception of green and vegetation may have intrinsic qualities, which enhance psychological well-being. Moreover, green streets can increase social cohesion and social justice in urban contexts, counteracting health inequalities related to income deprivation, and supporting the recreational value of urban contexts.

Green streets can have a great impact on urban stormwater management. As part of a green infrastructure, they can offer adaptable solutions to manage rainwater through minimizing the impact of development on the water cycle. They can use natural processes to manage runoff at source at a lower cost than traditional gray infrastructure’ (pipes and other water control devices). In fact, it is possible to incorporate water management features into streets, plazas, domestic gardens, and urban living spaces. Thus, many cities worldwide are exploiting green streets to control and treat stormwater runoff through the combination of pervious surfaces, vegetation, and soil. This is intended to slow, filter from impurities, slower infiltrate flow into the underground to improve water quality, reduce erosion, and recharge groundwater.