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.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Why Should We Subsidize Public Transportation?
Many public transit agencies face financial stress due to rising costs, declining fare revenue, and declining subsidies. Transit advocates must provide a strong business case for increasing public transit funding.
Understanding Road Diets
An explainer from Momentum highlights the advantages of reducing vehicle lanes in favor of more bike, transit, and pedestrian infrastructure.
New California Law Regulates Warehouse Pollution
A new law tightens building and emissions regulations for large distribution warehouses to mitigate air pollution and traffic in surrounding communities.
Phoenix Announces Opening Date for Light Rail Extension
The South Central extension will connect South Phoenix to downtown and other major hubs starting on June 7.
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.
Caltrans
Smith Gee Studio
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service