Philadelphia Goes Porous

As reporter Jan Ransom puts it:

"Imagine a city where you didn't have to wear knee-high water boots when it rained, or worry about backed-up sewer systems creating havoc on your block - because your street suddenly became a sponge."

The redesign of the 800 block of Percy Street, between Catherine and Christian and 9th and 10th Streets in South Philadelphia, is part of the Philadelphia Water Department's "Green Street" program, which uses a new form of permeable asphalt to reduce runoff. The "Green Street" project is part of the Department's larger "Green City, Clean Waters" plan. PWD's next porous pavement project will be Webster Street, between 13th and Broad in Center City, which will start up in the coming weeks.

Thanks to Wm Benjamin Cromie, AICP