Sustainable Santa Monica Alleys

December 24, 2018 10:30 AM
by Delana Gbenekama

This article originally appeared in the November-December edition of Seascape. 

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 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.

Authored By

Delana Gbenekama
Equity and Communications Program Manager