The East Coast Greenway is already a third of the way to completion, and when finished will stretch from Calais, Maine, to Key West, Florida, passing through 16 states and 25 cities along the way.

Developed by the non-profit East Coast Greenway Alliance, the aim is to provide a continuous and ever-changing set of views and experiences to travelers on foot or in non-motorized vehicles.

Its creators note that the “route has been chosen to provide the traveler with an ever-changing, interesting and scenic landscape, whether urban, suburban, small town, industrial or rural,” accessible to cyclists, walkers, joggers and runners. Along the way, the Greenway also syncs up with public transportation at key spots, allowing easy access and egress for people seeking to pursue one stretch of it or another.

“It’s about seeing America at the right speed, where you can take in all of the culture around you. And you don’t have a windshield between yourself and the community.” While the project has been in the works for years, new funding and permissions gained in the last year have propelled it forward more quickly, helping its facilitators connect the dots along the nearly 3,000-mile route.

If you feel like it’s a little rude to yell “Watch out!” when you’re running down the sidewalk and approaching a slow group of people, the gentle ring of a bicycle bell could be just as effective and slightly more polite. A product called Runbell takes those iconic little brass bells off the handlebars and puts them onto your fingers so you can courteously warn pedestrians on shared pathways as you approach, even when you’re on your own two feet.

Lightweight and frills-free, the bell is made of brass for optimal sound and comes slightly oversized with silicone inserts so you can make it fit just right. That way, the rings remain adjustable even for cold days when you’re wearing gloves. It weighs less than an ounce and features a striker that can be activated from any angle, though it’s loudest if you pull it straight back.

The Runbell was funded on Kickstarter and is now available for purchase in men’s and women’s versions for $25. It’s easy to imagine this in use not just by runners, but frustrated native New Yorkers and other city denizens who just want people to stop blocking sidewalks staring at their phones or gawking at the scenery.

Following in the footsteps of the United States’ largest urban center, the 2nd and 3rd most populous cities in the country are each (respectively) developing and building extensive elevated parks, inspired in part by the success of The High Line in NYC.

The Los Angeles River Greenway Project

On the West Coast, Los Angeles has a plan to connect and create 50 miles of continuous bike and walking paths through the city. Over half of these segments are completed but the whole is not yet contiguous, forcing cyclists and pedestrians through dangerous crossings and other workarounds.

Ramping up support for the last few years, the LA River Greenway 2020 project includes provisions for public space as well as private enterprise, with everything from gathering and performance areas to dining venues, yoga classes and bike-in movie theaters in mind.

The Chicago 606 & Bloomingdale Trail Project

Meanwhile, in the Midwest, Chicago’s Bloomingdale Trail is the centerpiece of a larger plan dubbed The 606. Already midway through construction, much of the multiple-mile trail follows existing east-and-west-running railroad tracks set a story above street level.

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High Line West Chicago La On Track For Elevated Greenways