In May we first reported about the Green Streets project that Seattle Public Utilities wants to implement next Spring to reduce the amount of rain water that flows directly into Puget Sound.
The idea is to build specially designed green spaces to catch water in an environmentally friendly way. With these strips, the water would be slowed down and soak back into the earth. Soil tests are underway within the blocks bounded by NW 85th and NW 65th Streets, and 28th Ave NW and 32nd Ave NW to determine which areas are best suited for the project. This area is ideal because there is a monitoring station down stream.
There is a meeting about the project tomorrow evening from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. at the Sunset Hill Community Center, 3003 NW 66th Street. Seattle Public Utilities staff will present information about anticipated project benefits and impacts, what features are planned, how blocks will be selected and how the public can participate in the project. (Thanks Michele and Kevin for the tip!)
Natural drainage project meeting tomorrow
Not in my front yard.
As long as it does not take up valuable parking or roadways. Otherwise, I will agree with ballardrocksnow.
Yeah….see its not your front yard it the public right of way…so I would suggest going to the meeting and having your voices heard.
sorry should have put a sarcasm tag on my bit. “/s”
sign me up! :)
if they'll maintain it for me.
Sign me up too! Alas I am 3 x 4 blocks out of range ….
Cars minus one. …one more, I mean…
I would gladly turn my 10' wide by 100' long parking strip over to the city to improve the soil, add plants and reroute the water into it.
I'm on 27th and 85th. The entire street is filled with parked cars. As it is, cars cannot pass side-by-side anywhere in this neighborhood. Taking away even more street space is a nightmare.
I have no parking spot other than in front of my house. We have two small cars for our family. This project sounds great, but I'd like to see how they account for parking. The website says that “Most properties have alley access with parking.” We don't. We also have no driveway.
These streets are also lined with beautiful trees, vegtable gardens, and other great plants. Where would those go?
And at whose expense would maintain these? My water bill has doubled just keeping my plants alive this summer, nonetheless, shrubs at street level.
Boo hoo. You live in a city. Use public transit or something. Most people drive far more than they actually need to.
You describe the issue so well…'/s'
Sign up 59th St. It's a former trolley street & very wide with tiny little parking strips that aren't big enough to plant a tree. Cars also speed down the street ignoring that it is not an arterial. A few of the curb bulbs at the corner and wider planting strips to narrow the street would be great. Plus the added bonus of being able to plant trees!
excellent idea. blite. although south of the targeted area (65th), 59th is very wide and would easily benefit from this action (although immeasurable apparently).
I would also say 28th all the way up from 65th would be a good candidate if not already mentioned. man, that street feels like suburbia! or magnolia at least!
As you can see in one of the above pics, there is still street parking. What happens is, the water runs down the street , goes into the planted area at the curb cut, waters the plants in the parking strip, and stays there. In the process, the brake scrapings from the cars, the oils, the fluids, the dirt, etc., goes into this planted area and are filtered by the plants. If there is a heavy rainfall that cannot be held by the planted area, the water that does go back to the street should be somewhat cleaner. Wastewater runoff is the number one pollutant of our waterways.
This is known as a bioinfiltration swale. Part of why we have problems with our streams and thus , salmon, is because we have huge amounts of water rushing into streams, carrying with it all the dirt, etc., from the street, and forcing the erosion of the streambed, and silt into the place where it goes in. So all of a sudden, dirty water floods the streams. There is little or no 'groundwater' left to naturally fill our streams because it is all diverted from where it falls to the sound or streams as it falls. think about it- every building, road, or impervious surface means the water is diverted to a culvert or drain somewhere. Before man built all this, most of the water fell and stayed in the ground where it fell. now, most of the water is diverted.
Please go to the meeting on Wednesday if you have any interest either way on this project. oh- and because the water is diverted to these strips, you don't need to water, and have very little maintenacnce to do- a few weedings here and there. But would you weed and/or mow there, anyway?
The first photo shows street parking – the other, the curb is bumped out. Look at the yellow center line, I'm sure there would be no parking.
The photos show two different options they are thinking about. Too bad the letter they sent those of us in the “test” area doesn't explain this or tell us which one is planned.
with the number of near accidents i've seen in seattle, we could use some street calming strategies such as the 'bump out' near the intersection. add in a little xeriscaped rain garden, and i'll actually believe nickels is sticking to his word. we still get street parking, just not as much.
not to mention that many intersections have cars parked too close as it is. the bulbs would make me happy in that regard.
What do you want me to say? I have a car. I use it on rare occasions if I'm leaving the city. Other than that, I bus, bike, or walk. I can understand if you have to drop off or pick up kids from school or something like that but other than that, I don't really see the need for a car if you live in the city. Seattle's public transit isn't the best, but it definitely works.
This seems like another case of the majority acting like victims.
You sound just like the elitist minority, still trying like hell to remove our freedoms and choices at every turn.
I chose not to drive, but I'll be damned if I'll sit silent as that option is encroached upon, constantly.
What's with light rail with-out parking? Even Metro has park and rides, are you really that insane?
Never mind…
Insane? You're the one insinuating that I said things(light rail? Huh?) when I said nothing of the sort.
No one is saying that you can't drive. I'm only saying that driving isn't all that necessary in a city and with the addition of light rail, it will only become less necessary and therefore, less parking will be needed.
What freedoms and what choices did I say should be taken away? And you call me insane.
My statement was made toward the elitist minority, in response to your 'majority acting like victims'.
Sorry if you come off as a card carrying member of the former. I cherish the latter.
You cherish the majority? Huh? What's that even mean, really?
Also, when engaging in conversation, I find it's best to direct your comments to the other participant in said conversation as opposed to making broad generalizations.
Those pics make it look really ugly. Hope they put it only in front of houses that want it. Wouldn't want that IFO my house