DC USA's idea of drainage

Sustainability

by David Alpert • June 30, 2008 12:59 pm

I don't think "the sidewalk" is an acceptable answer for "where should we put the stormwater runoff".

The sidewalk outside DC USA.

5 comments — Share	— tags: Columbia Heights, DC, DC USA, environment

"Anytime" includes campaign time (Jun 26, 2008)
Bad architecture of the day, and a quiz (Jun 18, 2008)
Crossable intersections in Adams Morgan (Jun 2, 2008)
Biking on sidewalks is legal in DC (May 29, 2008)
DCUSA 1910 (Apr 13, 2008)

Comments

Yeah, that's not exactly the best design.

Then again, the last time I was up at DC USA, it was pouring. The water was coming off those downspouts like they were fire hydrants. At the same time, however, it was raining inside Marshalls. I think there are still a few leaks to be sealed.

by Alex B. on Jun 30, 2008 1:29 pm

Yah, I've written about these kinds of problems b4. I don't understand why a site isn't allowed to put its downspout into piping that goes under the sidewalk and outputs into the gutter (or into the stormwater system).

In areas where buildings can be significantly higher than the grade/sidewalk, this creates real problems especially in winter, when water dumped on the sidewalk freezes into ice. This is a problem on parts of Rhode Island Ave. in NE, among other areas.

by Richard Layman on Jun 30, 2008 2:21 pm

It could be the storm overflow drain from the roof due to extra heavy rain...most roofs have one regular drain (which goes under the sidewalk and into the stormwater system directly) and an overflow which often drains to grade.

Might not be as bad as you think...

by SteveK_Fairfax on Jun 30, 2008 5:32 pm

When I was last there in early June, a sudden storm caused water to shoot out of one of the drains in the plaza between the current site and the "under-construction" site. It looked like a fountain ... But I don't think this was intended to be a fountain. It's starting to look like they've got some drainage problems there.

by Lance on Jun 30, 2008 6:21 pm

As a resident of the neighbourhood, I can say those pipes are gushing out water anytime it rains and usually for quite a while after the storm passes. The picture doesn't even do it justice. It's been a good 2 inches deep at times. I'd never realized it was the storm water though. I thought it was a hydrant or something given how much water gushes out of it.

by Aimee on Jul 1, 2008 4:05 pm