High Impact Green Infrastructure Retrofit
The Town of Ashland requested funding assistance from the CB Trust’s Green Streets, Green Jobs, Green Towns program to implement green infrastructure retrofits along a major thoroughfare in a well-travelled corridor near the southern Town boundary. The G3 funding was used to complete construction of a grass channel and was supplemented with match funding provided from the Town for engineering design and project management, as well as a VA Trees grant to pay for the street trees and their planting. In conjunction with the Town of Ashland, Timmons Group has developed plans to retrofit a grass channel located between Frontage Road and Washington Highway (Route 1) to fulfill the grant requirements, while providing a visually appealing, functional treatment facility.
The project includes construction of a 1,150 linear foot grass channel in accordance with VA BMP Clearinghouse Design Specification No. 3, which provides runoff reduction and water quality treatment via filtration of the adjacent impervious areas. The project treats a highly impervious contributing drainage area (1.55 acre) and features compost amendments, native grass plantings, and check dams. The project also addresses existing drainage issues such as ponded water and scour, while providing environmental uplift through green infrastructure. During the design and construction process, conflicts were identified and addressed to achieve the maximum benefits.
In addition to providing measurable runoff reduction and water quality benefits, the project features additional positive outcomes such as improving air quality using street trees, and habitat enhancement using native grasses and plugs for permanent stabilization. The prominent location at the southern boundary of Town also sends a public message of the importance of green infrastructure and access to green space, especially along well traveled thoroughfares.
Author Bio
Aislinn Creel is a Senior Stormwater Project Manager at Timmons, specializing in planning, design, and implementation of stormwater facilities and green infrastructure improvements. She has authored grant applications for clients to secure funding, provided master planning, stormwater design, construction oversight, and post-construction follow-ups. She has a passion for providing sustainable solutions to meet the unique needs of her clients.
Megan Foreman is a Project Engineer in the Stormwater Services Group. She focuses on stream restoration and stormwater management design. Megan also has experience performing hydraulic analysis for various projects. She has experience compiling numerous reports pertaining to existing and in-progress BMP inspections. Megan is proficient in a variety of engineering software including Civil3D, HEC-RAS, ARC-GIS, HEC-HMS, and RiverMorph.
