River Action hopes a newly-renovated alley in Davenport will inspire more people to consider permeable paving. Friday morning it held a ribbon cutting for the just completed project where rain will soak into the pavement, instead of running off onto nearby streets and then into storm drains.
Executive Director Kathy Wine says the 500-foot alley is now lined with special, red bricks, on top of three feet of small rocks.
"To reduce stormwater runoff and to cleanse water. Because as it goes through three layers of rock, it is cleansed of nitrogen and other pollutants. It makes for cleaner water and less water into the storm drains."
The project cost 204,000 dollars with money coming from the city of Davenport, Y and J properties - the owner of an adjacent building, the Riverboat Development Authority, Iowa American Water, the Scott County Soil and Water Conservation District, and River Action.
River Action has also helped put permeable paving in a parking lot on Arsenal Island, and a street in LeClaire.