Court Street Green Street - A Love Story
Once upon a time, in the City of Portsmouth, there was an ordinary street with a not-so-ordinary story. Court Street, located in the Olde Towne Historic District, was identified as a potential candidate for a green street retrofit pilot project to improve water quality and reduce runoff volume while enhancing public space without impacting the cultural and historic features of the area. The project involved retrofitting three city blocks with planter and curb extension bioretention to capture stormwater runoff at the source. Additional improvements included a grass median to reduce impervious cover, traffic calming measures, new parking and bike lanes, and safer pedestrian crossings. The City obtained three federal grants from the Green Streets, Green Jobs, Green Towns program, in addition to a Stormwater Local Assistance Fund grant and a Virginia Clean Water Revolving Loan, to partially fund the design and construction. Like any good love story, there must be conflict, and this story is no different. Construction within a historic district involved numerous challenges and surprises once shovels hit the ground. From old bulkhead timbers to unknown utilities, there was never a dull moment. Sprinkle in multiple private utilities and a dash of a pandemic and you have a recipe for an exciting construction phase. After multiple RFIs, we’re nearing the end of construction and learning to love again. This presentation will focus on the many benefits of green streets, challenges of design and construction, lessons learned, and how to achieve a Happily Ever After.
Author Bio
Amity Dewey is a professional engineer focused on stormwater management and design. She has been working in the Hampton Roads area for over 13 years and currently leads a group of rockstar engineers out of the Virginia Beach office. Amity lives at home with her husband, four cats, three chickens, and one tiny human.
