In our last blog post, we talked about Philadelphia’s “Green 2015” program and how the City of Philadelphia aims to remove unused pavement in the City and install green areas instead.
An article recently crossed our desk about a related topic, and this time it was National Geographic’s take on Philadelphia’s “Green City Clean Waters Program.” The program was designed to better manage storm water runoff in a city with a sewer system that can get inundated when it rains, and subsequently draw pollution out to the Schuykill and Delaware Rivers.
This article is a good read for Philadelphia area residents, or for anybody who is interested in improving the way cities interact with the environment, as well as those of us who are into anything and everything pavement related(!).
One prime area of change that is touted in this article is the usage of permeable paving (also called “porous” or “pervious” paving), which is an asphalt surface that allows water to pass through it to the ground, while also allowing traffic to pass over it. Permeable paved surfaces help to prevent streets from getting backed up with storm water during rain storms, minimize pollution in water runoff, and lessen the need for additional infrastructure to help move storm water safely from the streets.
And, on a side note, did you know that permeable paving was developed in Philadelphia at the Franklin Institute in 1977? Pretty wild how things can come full circle.
And, on another side note and shameless bit of self-promotion, Associated Paving Contractors has experience with installing permeable paving surfaces throughout the Delaware Valley area. If you would like to learn more about this innovative paving technique and how it may or may not be the right fit for your planned paving project, please feel free to give us a call at 215-672-8000 or email us today. Thank you.