Ohio Street Rain Garden
Ohio St Raingarden (still under construction)
A couple of weeks ago, Mayor Greg ballard announced a green infrastructure project which would be located on Ohio Street in downtown. The stretch of sidewalk to be improved (and in this case, improved is the proper term) is between College Ave, and Park Ave. This is the same block that contains the newly, and recently featured here (and here) Nature Conservancy.
Site Overview from College Ave to Park along Ohio Street
The project addresses what for many cities today, is a glaring problem. Stormwater runoff management. This specific project aims to tackle this issue by replacing concrete and pavement, with permeated pavement and a rain garden. This is the first project of it’s kind to be built in the Indianapolis area in regards to permeable pavement. (at least that we know of). Permeable pavement is a type of pavement in which it allows water to pass through while still performing what we all expect pavement to do, which is support cars, pedestrians, skateboards, etc. The other component of the project, is a rain garden. I was able to get my hands on plans from the city of Indianapolis and put them on display for everyone here. Once completed and in operation, this should remove 1.2 million gallons of storm water annually; or 90% of the runoff generated in this area.
Buchanan Frontage Detail, Note water inlets and foliage plan
While concrete and raingarden construction has been completed, the city plans to add the vegetation in the spring which will consist of a myriad of plant and tree life. Everything from dogwood trees, to hydrangeas to clover to other assorted perennials and ornamental grasses.
Taking a look closer, the site plan reveals two areas where the curb is broken to allow water to flow into the rain garden itself, located in front of the property owned by Buchanan.
Section through Raingarden area
This project represents a step in the right direction in our city’s approach to storm water management. While it still doesn’t solve the larger problem of an environmentally equitable, system wide storm water management plan, it represents more symobolism in this block that the rest of the region could learn from.
Perveous Curb (Note differences in concrete appearance)
For a 5 page .pdf of engineering plans, click here.