The Connective Corridor’s bike lanes and green infrastructure

Syracuse is recognized globally as a green leader, and as the Connective Corridor’s new green bike lanes are an example of green technologies put into practical use.

Developing a green street network:

The green Methacrylate bike lanes on the Connective Corridor represent a novel approach to green technologies. They are a new generation resin that provides exceptional durability on asphalt and concrete, skid-resistance, and extremely high reflective values for safety. Besides being part of a beautiful new streetscape, they say “green” in a big way, especially for a City that recognized for its commitment to sustainability.

This new green bike network in Syracuse is one of the first in the country to implement new federal standards for green as a universal bike lane color.  A handful of communities have simply painted over asphalt, but Syracuse is among the first to install a long-term solution.  Unlike painted asphalt, which has to be re-done every few years, Methacrylate is designed to last up to 20 years.

Because this is such an innovative material and technique, local contractor Nagle Athletic Surfaces worked closely with the manufacturer to make this a showcase project. The manufacturer brought in a film crew and produced a training video for other communities.  Nagle was especially proud to be engaged in this project since it is a local company, and the company founding partner was on site to assure top-quality installation.

Syracuse was one of the first communities in the country to implement methacrylate in this kind of application. Methacrylate is comprised of polymers used in applications where purity and stability are critical to performance – from medical pumps to heart valves, hyperbaric chambers and baby incubators. It is also used for specialty coatings that can be applied with reduced emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) – and, it allows coatings to be easily applied while producing a long durable protective surface coating that is long lasting and highly resilient to weather, sunlight and other factors. It will be a first for Syracuse – a truly “smart, environmentally friendly, green bikeway” that advances sustainability and makes the city more bike-ped friendly.

These are the first of what will become a system of bikeways across the city. Read a draft of the City’s bike plan (still being completed here and a map of the proposed network here.

What lies beneath: An equally impressive network of green infrastructure

According to the New York Times, “The drought that has settled over more than half of the continental United States this summer is the most widespread in more than half a century.” More than 50% of the country is now under arid and drought-like conditions which are challenging cities and municipalities to rethink how they manage stormwater, water harvesting and water reuse. Water professionals, planners and engineers are recognizing the value of rainwater and stormwater and working on progressive strategies for catchment and retention, as well as water management.

This region is ahead of the game thanks to the forward-thinking of Onondaga County and the Save The Rain project. The County’s Save the Rain program has already exceeded the County Executive’s goal of advancing fifty distinct green infrastructure projects within the City of Syracuse’s combined sewer footprint, all of which were constructed to address sewer overflows into Onondaga Lake and its tributaries.

Examples abound across the county and the city, but the Connective Corridor is one of the largest and most ambitious systems, and a national model that integrates creative new techniques such as tree trenches, plantings, porous pavement, bioswales, rain gardens, green streetscapes and other elements across an entire network. This unique deployment of new green infrastructure technologies was made possible through the vision and financial support of Onondaga County and Save the Rain.

The New York Secretary of State and EPA Deputy Assistant Administrator/Office of Water, have visited Syracuse to learn more about how this project is very much both a state and federal model for sustainability and smart growth.  And, Syracuse is now considered one of 10 EPA Model Communities.

Where will you see green infrastructure across the Connective Corridor?

Forman Park’s green infrastructure elements, generously funded by Save the Rain, included more than 4,000 shrubs and perennials which will capture about 119,000 gallons of storm water each year. University Avenue and East Genesee Street feature Save the Rain funded plantings, geogrids, silva cells, catch basins and green streetscapes.  Save the Rain-funded rain gardens were installed along East Genesee near Syracuse Stage.  A rain garden is a sunken garden designed to absorb rainwater from impervious areas such as roofs, driveways, walkways, and compacted lawn areas, reducing runoff by allowing stormwater to soak into the ground, as opposed to flowing into storm drains and surface waters, which can cause erosion, water pollution, flooding, and diminished groundwater. Native plant species are being planted that will require less maintenance and which don’t require pesticides and fertilizers. Green infrastructure – just along the East Genesee Street stretch, is projected to create 1,771,000 gallons of runoff reduction.

When the Connective Corridor is complete (from University Avenue to West Fayette Street / The Warehouse and Armory Square), combined Connective Corridor green infrastructure projects will prevent 22  million gallons of stormwater from entering the sewer system each year, and create an equally significant impact in terms of harvesting and managing an increasingly critical natural resource – water itself.

Thanks to Onondaga County and Save the Rain for this extraordinary commitment to implementing best practices here in our community. Right now, cities and municipalities across the country are just starting to think about how to deal with these issues. This region is leading the way.

Learn more at: http://savetherain.us
Forman Park project: http://savetherain.us/cc-forman/
Connective Corridor phase one: http://savetherain.us/cc-phase-1-c2/

The impact of streetscapes and infrastructure investment:

Real estate and economic development literature attests to the value of infrastructure investment as a revitalization tool. Communities that focus on complete streetscape projects not only reinforce identity and livability, but also help attract private sector investment. These improvements, and the addition of walking and biking opportunities, provide sustainable connections to employment and neighborhood housing, as well as critical services. Across the country, there is a new focus on revitalization and placemaking, using streetscaping and infrastructure to strengthen the urban core through integrated bike, pedestrian and transit connections. These projects are catalyzing revitalization along the Connective Corridor, augmented by other Corridor programs such as a façade improvement grant programs, public art, historic preservation and in-fill real estate development projects.