Neel with the Community Council here…
Streets get curbed a variety of ways. I'd like to call your attention to a new approach that is being spearheaded by the Public Utilities called "natural drainage systems." They are essentially swales of lowered, planted ground next to the street. Public Utilities lower the ground and plant the sides of these ditches with trees and shrubs. The idea is that runoff goes into these planted areas FIRST, instead of directly into sewer systems, lowering the impact of rains on the system. The Community Council is looking to assemble a list of streets that lack curb and gutter in our neighborhood, and is set to lobby hard in January to get some of this type of project done in our area. Pilot projects have been done in West, NW, and NE Seattle. SE Seattle is the only section of the city without a pilot of this new type of street improvement, and it fits very well with your vision for your street! Contact me if you are interested in helping catalog the streets that could benefit from natural drainage systems in our area.
If you're on 35th Ave S between Alaska and Edmonds (which I would *guess* you might be), you will have noticed that since the redevelopment on the W side of the street has started, Curbs and gutters have gone in there. You'll also notice new sidewalk in front of the newer townhomes on the E side of the street. These were done pursuant to an ordinance that said re-development of a certain intensity/size means the developer must pay for sidewalk, curb, and gutter improvements. This is happening several places in the neighborhood and townhomes replace single family.
The final way sidewalk, curb, and gutter work is done is by SDOT. They have a means of prioritizing the streets that lack these improvements, though I haven't heard what it is EXACTLY. Suffice to say I see SDOT crews putting in sidewalk, curb and gutter in front of older/existing structures, apparently just for the sake of improving the street (imagine that!).
Hope this helps. Again, contact me if you are interested in helping catalog the streets that could benefit from natural drainage systems in our area.
Thanks!
Neel
