Boone Boulevard Green Infrastructure Conceptual Design
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2012 GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM City of Atlanta Atlanta, GA Boone Boulevard Green Infrastructure Conceptual Design MARCH 2014 Photo: Street-side bioretention EPA 830-R-14-001 About the Green Infrastructure Technical Assistance Program Stormwater runoff is a major cause of water pollution in urban areas. When rain falls in undeveloped areas, the water is absorbed and filtered by soil and plants. When rain falls on our roofs, streets, and parking lots, however, the water cannot soak into the ground. In most urban areas, stormwater is drained through engineered collection systems and discharged into nearby waterbodies. The stormwater carries trash, bacteria, heavy metals, and other pollutants from the urban landscape, polluting the receiving waters. Higher flows also can cause erosion and flooding in urban streams, damaging habitat, property, and infrastructure. Green infrastructure uses vegetation, soils, and natural processes to manage water and create healthier urban environments. At the scale of a city or county, green infrastructure refers to the patchwork of natural areas that provides habitat, flood protection, cleaner air, and cleaner water. At the scale of a neighborhood or site, green infrastructure refers to stormwater management systems that mimic nature by soaking up and storing water. These neighborhood or site-scale green infrastructure approaches are often referred to as low impact development. EPA encourages the use of green infrastructure to help manage stormwater runoff. In April 2011, EPA renewed its commitment to green infrastructure with the release of the Strategic Agenda to Protect Waters and Build More Livable Communities through Green Infrastructure. The agenda identifies technical assistance as a key activity that EPA will pursue to accelerate the implementation of green infrastructure. In February 2012, EPA announced the availability of $950,000 in technical assistance to communities working to overcome common barriers to green infrastructure. EPA received letters of interest from over 150 communities across the country, and selected 17 of these communities to receive technical assistance. Selected communities received assistance with a range of projects aimed at addressing common barriers to green infrastructure, including code review, green infrastructure design, and cost- benefit assessments. Through the assistance provided to the City of Atlanta (City), EPA developed a concept design for a green infrastructure project to revitalize a distressed neighborhood and reduce flooding and combined sewer overflows (CSOs). The following report presents this concept design in detail, and is intended to provide a nationally applicable model for green infrastructure implementation in distressed neighborhoods. For more information, visit http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/greeninfrastructure/gi_support.cfm. ii Acknowledgements Principal USEPA Staff Mary Jo Bragan, EPA Region IV Tamara Mittman, U.S. EPA Headquarters Christopher Kloss, U.S. EPA Headquarters Community Team Julie Todd, City of Atlanta Susan Rutherford, City of Atlanta Andrew Walter, City of Atlanta Jonathan Lewis, City of Atlanta Walt Ray, Park Pride Ellen Wickersham, Invest Atlanta Tony Torrence, Community Improvement Association Consultant Team Eric Byrne, Tetra Tech Julie Kaplan, Tetra Tech Jonathan Smith, Tetra Tech Bobby Tucker, Tetra Tech Martina Frey, Tetra Tech Stakeholder Meeting Participants Bill Eisenhauer, MAUWI Clifford Ice, City of Atlanta Anne Keller, EPA Region IV Nolton Johnson, City of Atlanta Stacy Funderburke, The Conservation Fund Catherine Owens, Atlanta BeltLine Inc. Lee Harrop, Atlanta BeltLine Inc. Michael Elliot, Georgia Tech Center for Quality Growth C. Shaheed DuBouis, Vine City Civic Association Lisa Glanville, City of Atlanta This report was developed under EPA Contract No. EP-C-11-009 as part of the 2012 EPA Green Infrastructure Technical Assistance Program. iii Contents Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................................... vi 1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Project Process and Local Context ................................................................................................ 1 1.2 Benefits of Green Infrastructure .................................................................................................. 2 2 Boone Boulevard Site .......................................................................................................................... 4 2.1 Existing Conditions........................................................................................................................ 4 2.2 Proposed Site Design .................................................................................................................... 6 3 Goals .................................................................................................................................................... 7 3.1 Project Goals ................................................................................................................................. 7 3.2 Design Goals ................................................................................................................................. 7 4 Green Infrastructure Toolbox ............................................................................................................. 8 4.1 Bioretention Facilities ................................................................................................................... 8 4.2 Permeable Pavement ................................................................................................................. 10 4.3 Impervious Area Conversion ...................................................................................................... 12 5 Green Infrastructure Conceptual Design .......................................................................................... 13 5.1 Conceptual Layout ...................................................................................................................... 13 5.2 Green Infrastructure Sizing ......................................................................................................... 15 6 Green Infrastructure Technical Specifications .................................................................................. 17 6.1 Common Elements ..................................................................................................................... 17 7 Operations and Maintenance ........................................................................................................... 23 8 Capital Cost Estimates ....................................................................................................................... 25 9 References ......................................................................................................................................... 27 Appendix A Proctor Creek/North Avenue Needs Assessment ..................................................................A- 1 Appendix B Proctor Creek/ North Avenue Project Prioritization Summary ..............................................B-1 Appendix C Conceptual Design Layouts ..................................................................................................... C-1 iv Figures Figure 2-1. Boone Boulevard green infrastructure catchment area ............................................................. 5 Figure 2-2. Boone Boulevard from Brawley Dr., facing east ........................................................................ 6 Figure 2-3. Boone Boulevard from Walnut St., facing west ......................................................................... 6 Figure 4-1. Bioretention incorporated into a right-of-way ......................................................................... 9 Figure 4-2. Bioretention incorporated into traditional parking lot design. ................................................. 9 Figure 4-3. Planter box within street right-of-way ...................................................................................... 9 Figure 4-4. Flow-through planter box attached to building......................................................................... 9 Figure 4-5. Tree box using grate inlets in street ........................................................................................ 10 Figure 4-6. Permeable pavement one-way cycle track .............................................................................. 12 Figure 4-7. Permeable interlocking concrete paver parking stalls ............................................................. 12 Figure 4-8. Conversion of impervious roadway to vegetated center median ........................................... 12 Figure 5-1. Conceptual layout for Boone Boulevard green infrastructure practices .................................. 14 Figure 6-1. Typical planter box .................................................................................................................... 20 Figure 6-2. Permeable interlocking concrete pavers .................................................................................. 22 Figure 6-3. Pervious concrete ..................................................................................................................... 22 Tables Table 1-1. Studies estimating