Merced Avenue Greenway Plan. Source: MercedAveGreenway.org
City streets are now recognized as important public spaces that must meet the needs of pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists, as well as achieve specific stormwater standards while mitigating the impacts of climate change. The City of South El Monte (City), a highly urbanized and severely disadvantaged community located in the San Gabriel Valley of Los Angeles County, is constructing its first livable green street along the southern, residential section of Merced Avenue. Merced Avenue currently has four through-lanes and lacks any vegetation, canopy cover, or permeable surfaces. Park space and recreational opportunities are scarce in the City. The corridor's existing single-purpose design, coupled with minimal greening, and lack of best management practices (BMPs) to address stormwater runoff from nearby industrial land uses, elevates the need for a multi-benefit solution. Transforming Merced Avenue with green infrastructure will help maximize the City's opportunities to clean and capture stormwater, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and urban heat island effect, and provide safe active transit connections to local parks and river connections.
The project partners include the City of South El Monte, Council for Watershed Health, Active San Gabriel Valley, Climate Resolve, Alta Planning and Tetra Tech to create a multiple benefit approach to enhance public health and beautify the neighborhood. Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF) and the Pacific Institute brought this project opportunity to CWAC, and Target chose to partner on the project by providing funding for some of the activities that improve quality of life and climate impact reductions.
The Merced Avenue Greenway project focuses on the plan and design of a shovel-ready multiple-BMP retrofit of a 1.3-mile corridor. The project proposes a multi-benefit approach to manage stormwater runoff at its source in order to meet regulatory compliance by improving water quality and enhancing watershed health. The Greenway will connect to San Gabriel Valley Water Company’s recycled water line for supplemental irrigation of local native and climate appropriate plants, which have reduced water needs once established. Additional benefits include reducing the urban heat island effect and its carbon footprint, creating new safe bike and pedestrian connections, enhancing public health and beautifying the neighborhood. The Greenway project aims to change Merced Avenue into a community resource, and will specifically benefit low-income communities of color that do not have direct access to ample parks and open space. The project will incorporate a community-based approach that provides opportunities for watershed education and neighborhood involvement in designing the project.
Using a watershed approach, this Greenway will help address water quality issues in catchment areas surrounding the Merced Avenue community. The Greenway will feature low impact development (LID) BMPs and green infrastructure strategies that include bioswales, bioretention and biofiltration landscape areas, and permeable pavement to capture and clean urban runoff.
The Greenway project will provides the following key quantifiable benefits:
- Water Quality. Capture, treatment, and infiltration of dry and wet weather runoff from industrial, commercial, and residential land areas.
- Public Health. Pedestrians and bicyclists using the Greenway’s protected bike lanes and ADA compliant sidewalks; increased shade and reduced urban heat island effect.
- Habitat. 133 new trees, as well as native shrubs and groundcovers within the biofiltration areas to increase habitat for birds, pollinators, and small reptiles.
Project lead: The Council for Watershed Health (BEF as representing CWAC member)
Participating CWAC members: Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF) | Pacfic Institute | Target
Additional partners: City of South El Monte | Council for Watershed Health | Active San Gabriel Valley | Climate Resolve | Alta Planning | Tetra Tech
To learn more: Contact Sara Hoversten, Director, Business for Water Stewardship BEF - [shoversten@b-e-f.org]