The city of Berkeley is undergoing a pilot installation of permeable pavement for a road calming project by Berkeley High School. The pilot has better storm water drainage, a smaller carbon footprint, and less maintenance than traditional asphalt.
Construction for the new pavement continues on Allston Way along a 0.1 mile stretch adjacent to Berkeley High School and Berkeley City Hall. According to Charles Siler at Berkeleyside, "the new permeable interlocking concrete pavement will absorb water, rather than redirecting it to a storm drain the way traditional asphalt does... [and includes] better heat dispersal and cleaner runoff water." The new permeable pavement also decreases the city's storm drain system load during heavy rains.
Permeable paving explanation. Photo: SF Streets Blog
In addition, permeable pavement "has a lifespan 3-5 times longer than that of traditional pavement, which is expected in the long run to offset the 50% to 60% greater cost of construction", and a reduced carbon footprint than traditional paving materials. Due to the colors and material used, there is also less solar heat gain associated with permeable pavement.
According to Siler, "a city spokesman stressed that the project is a test run for the new paving material." However, permeable pavement projects have already been constructed in other parts of the Bay Area such as San Francisco and Oakland.
FULL STORY: Berkeley installs first permeable pavers downtown
Flood Resilience Through Green Infrastructure
Cities like New York and Los Angeles are moving to build green infrastructure as the need for spongier urban spaces becomes more apparent.
Designing Permeable Cities for Drought Resilience
Take a kayak trip on the Los Angeles River with KQED science reporter Amy Standen to understand why cities were built on the premise of endless potable water and how we can build cities sustainably in regions that receive low rainfall.
Green Infrastructure Worth Its Weight in Gold
Nate Berg looks at a new study analyzing the cost benefits of large-scale green infrastructure projects, which demonstrates that governments are wasting billions of dollars a year by not going green.
Analysis: Cybertruck Fatality Rate Far Exceeds That of Ford Pinto
The Tesla Cybertruck was recalled seven times last year.
National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.
Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.
Test News Post 1
This is a summary
Analysis: Cybertruck Fatality Rate Far Exceeds That of Ford Pinto
The Tesla Cybertruck was recalled seven times last year.
Test News Headline 46
Test for the image on the front page.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service