Gaithersburg’s “Green Streets”

The city of Gaithersburg announces the selection of three roads for Green Street construction:

* Victory Farm Drive west of the intersection of Victory Farm Drive and Saybrooke Oaks Boulevard
* Dosh Drive west of the intersection of Dosh Drive and Midline Road
* Cedar Avenue northeast of the intersection of Cedar Avenue and Winnie Place

Gaithersburg’s Green Streets environmental initiative uses a natural approach to manage stormwater flows, improve water quality, reduce urban area heat, recharge groundwater, and enhance watershed health. Through the use of curb extensions, plants, swales and pervious pavings, Green Streets not only handle stormwater on site, they also have the added benefit of reducing runoff, enhancing streetscapes with their native landscaping, and calming traffic by reducing street widths.

An assessment of Gaithersburg’s older neighborhoods that lack stormwater management and meet the Green Street design criteria, conducted by the City’s Environmental Services Division, identified several potential public streets that could utilize this retrofit strategy. The three locations listed above were selected because of their wide road widths and the minimal impact on the surrounding neighborhood.

Construction is anticipated in the spring of 2013. After completion, each project will be thoroughly evaluated for effectiveness; the results will be incorporated in future projects.

Gaithersburg constructed its first Green Street on Rabbitt Road in 2008. A portion of Victory Farm Drive was retrofitted as a Green Street in 2010. For more information please contact the Department of Public Works at 301-258-6370 or visit www.gaithersburgmd.gov.

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