Ann Arbor's permeable pavement project is wrapping up as the city begins work on building new and improving existing bike lanes.
Permeable pavement filters rain water, creating a surface that absorbs water instead of forcing it to run off into storm sewers. The original plans for completion by the end of June were delayed because of gas main issues, but the final paving is expected to be finished today. "At that point the project will be essentially done, except for minor cleanup," says Nick Hutchinson, project engineer for the city of Ann Arbor. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned for Friday.
There are no further plans for such projects, Hutchinson says, but "we're keeping our eye out for good candidates, maybe using some slightly different technologies that accomplish the same thing with lower costs."
The pavement was installed on two blocks of Sylvan Avenue, east of Packard Road. The city will tear out the old road and rebuild its base so the water filters down into the ground as it would naturally. Most road are built on a clay surface that allows the water to pool under the pavement and create havoc through freeze-thaw cycles.
The $300,000 project is more expensive than just slapping another layer of concrete on the old road bed, but cost-competitive with rebuilding the whole stretch of street and using regular, non-permeable pavement.
The city also announced plans for improving its bicycle and pedestrian transportation systems, in part through federal stimulus funding. It will be adding approximately nine miles of new bike lanes, improving more than 24 miles of existing lanes, and augmenting pedestrian and bicycle safety in the downtown through the addition of new signage and pavement markings.
Work will take place along Catherine Street, North University Avenue, Ashley Street, and First Street, where travel lanes will be narrowed or eliminated to increase accessibility for cyclists. These improvements are a part of Ann Arbor's larger efforts to make active transportation, such as bicycling and walking, more accessible to visitors and residents.
Source: City of Ann Arbor and Nick Hutchinson, project engineer for the city of Ann Arbor
Writer: Kristin Lukowski
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