Regional Project Profile
Swarthmore College Porous Asphalt Pathways  

Category: Conceptual Retrofit Design   
Type of BMP: porous paving

| Description | Location | Partners | Cost | Contact |
 

In the summer of 2002, Cahill Associates designed two porous asphalt pathways as part of an effort to make the Swarthmore College campus ADA-accessible. The two porous pathways replaced two existing pathways, which were not ADA-compliant. The paths were constructed of porous bituminous asphalt underlain by a shallow six-inch base of uniformly graded clean stone. The rainfall drains through the porous asphalt and into the clean stone below, eventually infiltrating into the soils. The porous pavement paths reduce the amount of runoff from the campus and improve the walking surface in wet and cold weather. They also provide an opportunity for Swarthmore College to both implement and demonstrate sustainable site design techniques and increase awareness of better stormwater management measures. 

Based on the success of these paths, Swarthmore decided to construct additional porous paths as part of the site work associated with their new Science Center, which was recognized by the Stormwater BMP Recognition Program in 2006.

 

County:         Delaware
Watershed:   Crum Creek


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Cahill Associates
Swarthmore College