Better Roads Digital Magazine
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/85927
Cleaning Up Our Alleys has its first "green" alleys, where stormwa- RoadWorks D.C. ter seeps into the permeable sur- face rather than running into storm drains – helping cut one of the ma- jor causes of waterway pollution. "The water disappears, but it's not a magic trick — it's smart, green, cutting-edge urban design that puts the District at the forefront of sus- tainable practices nationwide," D.C. Mayor Vincent C. Gray says. "Im- proving the health of our rivers and streams starts in our neighborhoods with creative solutions like these green alleys." Green Alley projects across the country are an effective and innova- tive way to manage stormwater run- off and pollution. Chicago leading the alley way In Chicago, for example, more than 80 green alleys have been successfully completed since 2006. The Chicago DOT is extremely proud of the lead they have taken in this work. The D.C. Green Alley Pilot is part of the Mayor's "Sustainable DC" initiative that he says is designed to make the District the nation's green- est, healthiest, most livable city. The alley project is a partnership between the District DOT and the Dis- trict Department of the Environment. Many alleys include a significant amount of impervious surface, but most do not have stormwater controls (such as water quality catch basins or grate inlets). To mitigate this, green alleys use sustainable design and Low Impact Development (LID) techniques that reduce the amount of stormwater and pollutants entering CRUDE Call it what you will — price adjustments, indexing, or escalators. We call it an outdated bidding policy that subsidizes oil-based asphalt. Asphalt's slick deals cost DOTs and taxpayers millions when oil prices rise, even when more durable materials like concrete promise affordability and stable pricing. Learn more about asphalt's raw deals at www.think-harder.org/CRUDE the sewer system, streams and riv- ers by increasing water filtration and treatment on site. In Washington, D.C., the city's DOT constructed its pilot green alleys by removing grav- el, impervious concrete, or asphalt surfaces and replacing them with a variety of permeable concrete, as- phalt or brick paver materials and grid systems in areas where the storm sewer and sanitary sewers are separated. Write 134 on Reader Service Card or visit www.betterroads.com/info Better Roads August 2012 7 Portland_BR0812.indd 1 7/24/12 10:52 AM