The City of Watervliet contracted Weston & Sampson to develop green infrastructure improvements along the Route 32 Corridor as part of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Green Innovation Grant Program.
The program is aimed to help educate local communities and municipalities about the benefits and applications of green infrastructure, as well as reduce the amount of stormwater runoff generated by cities across New York State.
Route 32 is a major connector in the City of Watervliet, and contains a mix of residential, commercial, and light industrial uses. The Historic Watervliet Arsenal, which has served as an active United States Military arsenal since 1813, is located in this neighborhood. The multi-model corridor includes pedestrian facilities and a link within CDTA’s Bus Plus and BRT Transit route. We incorporated enhanced bus stops and improved pedestrian facilities into the project design. The project team coordinated with CDTA, NYSDOT, NYSDEC, NYSOPRHP, and city staff.
Green Infrastructure design elements implemented along the corridor included an underground infiltration gallery, rain gardens, bioretention areas, porous asphalt pavement, and small road-side bioretention units. An underground overflow system works to distribute the stormwater evenly, maximizing the amount of infiltration and stormwater runoff treated before conveying flows from large storm events back into the existing system. In addition to treating stormwater runoff, a street tree program replaced the overgrown and heavily pruned trees that occupied the corridor. To help reduce sidewalk heaving, CU structural soil was placed underneath walks adjacent to the roadside units, which increases the root space available to the trees and other plantings.
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LOCATION: Watervliet, NY
- APWA capital region project of the year
- green infrastructure
- ADA accessibility
- interpretive signage
- stormwater management
- complete streets
- urban forestry