| Summary: | Thesis (M.C.P.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, 2002. === Includes bibliographical references (leaves 95-102). === To date, the reuse of abandoned railroad rights-of-way has occurred primarily in suburban and rural areas. However, a new generation of urban rail corridor conversions appears to be underway. More urban in more places than prior rail-to-trail projects, the next generation of rail corridor conversions reflects a broader and more complex notion of rail-to-trail projects. These urban projects are more likely to begin with goals and assumptions that look beyond the traditional emphasis on recreation and commuting. They also tend to be more sensitive to changing contexts along a single right-of-way, can serve as focal points or catalysts for other development efforts and involve a wide range of actors and funding sources. The unique opportunities and challenges of disused urban rail corridors suggest the need for new ways of designing and interpreting urban linear space, as well as the need for an expanded technical and financial resource base to support these efforts. This thesis pursues multiple objectives. Chapter 2 reflects on the basic characteristics of urban rail corridors, the linear attributes that make them desirable for reuse and the potential challenges of working in a linear landscape. The second part of this chapter describes the history and evolution of rail corridor conversions as a planning and urban design concept and surveys relevant literature on the subject. Chapter 3 considers existing urban rail-to-trail precedents and describes the most recent generation of urban rail-to-trail projects, drawing on the experience of five ongoing rail-to-trail conversion projects in Boston, Gainesville, Minneapolis, New York City and the District of Columbia. It identifies six typologies for thinking about urban rail-to-trail projects and highlights specific issues encountered in the planning and design of such projects. Chapter 4 contains a more detailed case study of efforts to convert the New Haven, Connecticut segment of the Farmington Canal rail corridor into a greenway. Chapter 5 concludes with a set of guiding principles and action items for future work in this area, as well as proposed directions for further research. === by Eric E. Feldman. === M.C.P.
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