'Green' Streets Are Coming to Wheaton
Homeowners, businesses, schools and organizations have been quietly working to create a greener, more sustainable Wheaton. The County’s Department of Transportation is now joining this effort by starting to use special landscaping along our county roads to create “green streets.”
What are green streets? Green streets use vegetated zones along streets to mimic natural areas like parks and forest by capturing, spreading out and soaking in stormwater runoff.
Polluted and excessive stormwater runoff from streets causes significant environmental damage and flooding to our streams in Montgomery County.
If you have recently driven along Arcola Avenue near University Boulevard, you may have noticed vegetated “bump outs” along the street. We hope these are the first of many green street practices that will not only beautify our roads, but also help restore Sligo and Rock Creeks.
Now the stormwater from a summer thunderstorm, with all it petroleum products, heavy metals, fertilizers, and trash, will be directed into the vegetated swales where the stormwater will soak into the ground instead of running into Sligo Creek.
As it soaks into the ground, the runoff will cool down while the microbes around the plant roots help break down pollutants and the plants help wick up nutrients and heavy metals. So instead of a hot toxic stew gushing into Sligo Creek, cooler and cleaner ground water will enter slowly.
Homeowners can help by retaining stormwater on their properties (away from their house foundations). Learn how you can restore our streams by visiting the County’s Department of Environmental Protection’s Rainscapes website http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/rainscapes.asp.
Follow GreenWheaton on Facebook. By working together we can create a green and healthier Wheaton.
Eric Sutton
11:06 am on Friday, November 4, 2011
Not a bad idea on paper. I'm sure that the Montgomery County gov.'s rush for a touchy feel good and homogized project has over looked a few issues like visability of kids and animals. The plantings should be closer to the side walks, leaving a buffer at the curb.
Hey why not use the money for a low maintance project. Like restoring the cherry trees in the easement along Arcola and or nuking all the bradford Pears. (Another touchy feel good project by the state gone haywire.)
Ed Murtagh
12:46 pm on Friday, November 4, 2011
You need to do deep excavation for planting areas, so putting the area nearer to the sidewalk will not work since there are street trees. As for visability, there are regulations that only low growing plants can be planted there so that should not be an issue since parked cars are a far bigger visual obstruction and I have never heard that as being an issue.
Elizabeth Chaisson
12:47 pm on Friday, November 4, 2011
Great article Ed. Green streets are exciting. Every little bit counts towards improving the environment (and just because it's "new" doesn't mean it won't work and will impede visibility.....change can be a good thing!)
Jackie DeCarlo
3:04 pm on Friday, November 4, 2011
Ed, Thanks for getting the green streets started. I think it sends a great message that our tax dollars are being put into pollution prevention and neighborhood beautification. I will check out the site on how retaining storm water.
Ed Murtagh
5:04 pm on Friday, November 4, 2011
thanks Jackie, addressing pollution close to the source is usually the best way we can keep costs and damage minimized. About me getting this started.... I wish I had the power to get projects like this started. We would have seen this much sooner. The credit goes to DOT and our County's Stormwater Permit.
AntonFisher
3:28 pm on Monday, November 7, 2011
How do I get the County to do a 20ft wide median that is sevaral hundred yards long in my area? It will be a prime location for such project.
Kathleen Michels
3:28 pm on Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Where is your area? The county Dept of Environmental protection and the Dept of Transportation would likely be interested in hearing of more good locations for bioretention along streets and in medians
AntonFisher
8:52 pm on Tuesday, January 17, 2012
My area is the Glenmont Forest Neigbors Civic Association. The specifc area I mentioned is Judson Road and it stretches between Randolph Road and Henderson Avenue. If you need any information or would like to meet with some community representatives, please let me know.
AntonFisher
8:51 pm on Tuesday, January 17, 2012
My area is the Glenmont Forest Neigbors Civic Association. The specifc area I mentioned is Judson Road and it stretches between Randolph Road and Henderson Avenue. If you need any information or would like to meet with some community representatives, please let me know.
Ed Murtagh
10:26 pm on Tuesday, January 17, 2012
The County is planning on doing more green street projects in the Wheaton area. I understand tha there are plans on retro-fitting Dennis Ave and Amherst Ave. Not sure what roads will be next. I will be meeting with the County staff later this month and will be asking for updates.
Elizabeth Chaisson
10:22 am on Thursday, January 19, 2012
I'm pretty sure Judson Road is an old stream bed like Bucknell and Glenhaven Drives and Douglas Avenue just south of downtown Wheaton. Douglas Ave is definitely where the open stream behind my house (Rampart Way) has been buried. Bucknell and Glenhaven are still open to the sunlight. All of these streets would make great "green" street demonstration projects on how to slow storm water runoff into old stream bed channels.
Danila Sheveiko
3:52 pm on Thursday, January 19, 2012
Thanks, Ed, for the great post. Since Wheaton is in the Anacostia watershed, can't we ask that some of these local green street projects are managed through the Anacostia Restoration Partnership? That would certainly put things on the front burner.