America's "greenest street" provides a blueprint for sustainable urban development
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The Blue Island/Cermak Sustainable Streetscape project phase one is on Cermak Road, Chicago a former industrial zone (Image: CDOT)
The project will record quantifiable results through a set of sustainability goals charting eight performance areas (Image: CDOT)
The project will pilot 95 drought tolerant, native plant species in bioswales and infiltration planters (Image: CDOT)
Phase one has eliminated the use of potable water for any landscape irrigation (Image: CDOT)
The regeneration of Cermak Road includes new sidewalks with permanent wind/solar powered pedestrian lights (Image: CDOT)
Along with photocatalytic cement, the project uses solar reflective or high albedo pavements (Image: CDOT)
The regeneration of Cermak Road includes new sidewalks with permanent wind/solar powered pedestrian lights (Image: CDOT)
Article Summary
A streetscape that includes natural landscaping, bicycle lanes, wind powered lighting, storm water diversion for irrigation, drought-resistant native plants and innovative “smog-eating” concrete has earned Cermak road in Chicago the title of “greenest Street in America” according to the Chicago Department of Transport (CDOT). Opened in October 2012, the first phase two mile stretch is part of the Blue Island/Cermak Sustainable Streetscape project which was introduced in 2009 with the aim of reducing overall energy usage by 42 percent.
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