Some of the best walking and cycling routes in the world have few conventional pedestrian and cycle facilities. Neighbourhood greenways (aka "bicycle boulevards") are a form of street treatment where simple measures such as lower speeds, traffic restraints, wayfinding and crossing treatments are used to create an environment that is friendly for walking and cycling. They are particularly useful for connecting people to community facilities such as schools, parks, shops and other key destinations in a neighbourhood and beyond. Neighbourhood greenways are a popular tool in North America (e.g. Portland and Vancouver) but have yet to catch on here in New Zealand, despite many similarities in street environment.

This paper outlines what kind of features typically make up neighbourhood greenways and how they combine to make walk/cycle-friendly streetscapes. Examples from North America will be shown, as well as a case study for how similar treatments could be applied in rebuilt Christchurch. Funding and implementation considerations for New Zealand will also be discussed.