Chicago’s Green Alley program is utilizing a suite of best management practices to help transform the City’s 1,900 miles of historic hard surface alleyways into forms of green infrastructure important to reducing storm water management costs across the urban landscape. Green alleys incorporate a variety of characteristics such as permeable pavements (asphalt, concrete or pavers) that allow storm water to filter through the pavement and drain into the ground, instead of collecting on hard surfaces or draining into the sewer system; open bottom catch basins installed to capture water and funnel it into the ground; and high-albedo pavement to reflect sunlight and helping reduce the urban heat island effect. The program began as a pilot in 2006 and through 2010 more than 100 Green Alleys have been installed. A Green Alley Handbook is available for downloading on the City’s website http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/cdot/provdrs/alley/svcs/green_alleys.html Sent From David Schaller of Sustainable Practices
