Santa Monica Alleys Get a Green Makeover
September 20, 2018 4:00 PM
by Delana Gbenekama
If you live or work in Santa Monica, then you’ve most likely traveled our bustling streets and seen City construction crews working alongside milling and concrete trucks in nearby alleys. This year, as part of the City’s annual Alley Renewal Program, the Street and Fleet Services Division of the Public Works Department is resurfacing 13 alleys in need of major repairs. Crews began repairs in February and will continue renewing these high-priority alleys through December 2018.
Three of the alleys were reconstructed with gutters crafted from pervious concrete, which will absorb urban runoff (rainwater and nuisance water) from city streets. This helps prevent polluted runoff from draining into the ocean and improve the water quality at our local beaches. It also helps reduce flooding and ponding during storm events. Over time, the water percolating through the pervious concrete gutters will help replenish Santa Monica’s groundwater supply, contributing to the City’s goal of achieving water self-sufficiency.
The table below lists the alleys that are being reconstructed for 2018:
Alleys Slated for Reconstruction in 2018 |
Status |
|
15th Court ( |
1500 block |
Complete |
11th Court ( |
1500 block |
Complete |
Euclid Court ( |
1500 block |
Complete |
20th Court |
1100 block |
Complete |
22nd Court |
1110 block |
Complete |
Lincoln Court |
1500 block |
Complete |
11th Court |
600 block |
Complete |
11th Court |
500 block |
Complete |
19th Court |
900 block |
Complete |
Stanford Court |
800-1037 block |
Complete |
24th Court |
2210-2311 block |
Will be complete by end of 2018 |
Georgina Place North |
100-399 block |
Will be complete by end of 2018 |
Lincoln Court |
2500 block |
Will be complete by end of 2018 |
The Street and Fleet Services Division works closely with the Civil Engineering Division to install
Below is a summary of how pervious concrete gutters are installed:
- Remove the existing pavement from the alley, and then adjust the alley elevation to allow for proper drainage. Adjust the underground utility boxes so they are positioned at the proper elevation.*
- Install the new asphalt pavement and allow it to cure.*
- Use a milling machine and backhoe loader to cut and excavate the trench for the gutter. Install rock at the bottom of the trench before placing a filter fabric on top of the rock. The filter fabric prevents fine particles from clogging the void spaces in the rock and subsequently allows unconstrained infiltration of runoff into the underlying soil.
- Pour the pervious concrete. Install a plastic liner on top of the concrete to allow the concrete to cure.
*The renewal process for alleys that do not receive
The Alley Renewal Program is funded by the City’s Capital Improvement Program budget. The
Authored By
Delana Gbenekama
Equity and Communications Program Manager