Green street

City's first 'green street' now open

2009-09-18T19:11:33Z

The City’s first and one of the nation’s longest “Green Streets” was celebrated and opened September 15 along Dixieanne avenue in North Sacramento. With the event’s conclusion, the gateway to the Swanston Light Rail Station is now walkable and sustainable, as well as beautiful. The sidewalk/streetscape drainage project (similar to the “Green Streets” throughout Portland, Oregon) was the idea of District 2 Councilmember Sandy Sheedy. The project stretches five blocks from Evergreen Street to the Regional Transit station.

“Today is truly one of the highlights of my many years in public service. Not only has this pilot project transformed a neglected street into a street people will enjoy walking, we hope the project will be a template for creativity in streetscape projects throughout the city, county and nation,” Sheedy said at the opening day event. “I believe this qualifies as ‘thinking outside the box.’”

The $2 million project was funded through Community Reinvestment Act Bonds designated for infrastructure improvements in Council District 2 and through redevelopment funds from the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency. The City’s Department of Transportation managed the engineering design and construction.

The pilot project means sidewalks for residents and businesses in areas that have never had sidewalks; new sidewalks in others; ornamental streetlights; and planter strips featuring 100 trees, 200-plus shrubs and 4000 perennial grasses planted over a new storm drainage system, instead of a traditional curb and gutter. Also, instead of a typical mow strip, several planter strips double as detention basins for storm water runoff to collect and percolate through the soil before it flows into nearby streams and rivers. Fences were repaired or added to complement the new walkways.

The project also includes six streetscape elements of leaves indigenous to Sacramento. The metal and steel elements were designed by local craftsman Larry Meeks and range from four to six feet tall.

More project details are available at http://www.cityofsacramento.org/transportation/engineering/dixieanne-ave-green-street/index.html

Linda Tucker is the public information officer for the City of Sacramento Department of Transportation.

Sacramento’s first “Green Street”

2009-09-14T23:20:49Z

A completion event and walking tour of a sustainable streetscape project that is similar to the “Green Streets” throughout Portland, Oregon. The project’s sponsors District 2 Councilmember Sandy Sheedy, the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency and the project management team at the City’s Department of Transportation.

WHEN: Tuesday, September 15, 9 a.m.
• 9:15 a.m. Opening remarks
• 9:30 a.m. Walking tour

WHERE: Winner’s Circle Park, Dixieanne Avenue at Evergreen Street in North Sacramento.

WHY: To showcase the many environmental and aesthetic values the project will bring to the neighborhood and to recognize the contributions of many who participated in the project’s development, construction and completion.

Project information
• The pilot project means sidewalks for residents in areas that have never had sidewalks; new sidewalks in others; and a planter strip featuring several varieties of trees, shrubs and grasses planted over a new storm drainage system along all five blocks.
• Streetscape elements designed by local craftsman Larry Meeks also dot the planter strip.
• In addition to the greenery and streetscape elements, the storm drainage system beneath the planter strip is a sustainable feature, because the collected storm water run-off eliminates the need for irrigation. The storm water also is treated as it percolates through the soil, as opposed to flowing straight into local streams and aquifers.
• The overall project cost for design, environmental clearance and construction is about $2 million, and has been completely funded through Community Reinvestment Act Bonds designated for infrastructure improvements in Council District 2 and through redevelopment funds. No general funds were used for this project.

Project details are available at http://www.cityofsacramento.org/transportation/engineering/dixieanne-ave-green-street/index.html

Linda Tucker is the Public Information Officer for the City of Sacramento, Department of Transportation

City’s first ‘Green Street’ project gets underway

2009-05-05T22:30:25Z

NEWS RELEASE

Date: April 30, 2009

Contact: Linda K. Tucker ltucker@cityofsacramento.org
(916) 808-7523

The City of Sacramento Department of Transportation is constructing the City’s first “Green Street” on Dixieanne Avenue, between Evergreen Street and the Swanston Light Rail Station. The project is sponsored by District 2 Councilmember Sandy Sheedy and the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency.

Councilmember Sheedy brought the idea to her district after seeing Green Streets in the older neighborhoods of Portland. “It not only looks good, it’s environmentally sound and will do wonders for this neighborhood,” Sheedy said. Dixieanne Avenue is the gateway to the neighborhood and light rail station with both residential and light manufacturing businesses.

The pilot project means sidewalks for residents in areas that have never had sidewalks, new sidewalks in others and a planter strip featuring several varieties of trees, shrubs and grasses planted over a new storm drainage system along all five blocks. Streetscape elements designed by local artists will also dot the planter strip.

In addition to the greenery, the storm drainage system beneath the planter strip is a sustainable feature because the collected storm water run-off eliminates the need for irrigation. The storm water also is treated as it percolates through the soil, as opposed to flowing straight into the neighborhood’s drainage ditches.

The overall project cost for design, environmental clearance and construction is about $2 million. Work on the new drainage system got underway Monday. The project is expected to be completed by the end of August. A grand opening event will be scheduled.