Low Impact Development Manual for Michigan - OSEH - University ...

Case Study: Grand Valley State University
Porous Pavement Parking Lots
A crucial project for Grand Valley State University (GVSU) to prevent the
accelerated degradation of steep ravines, which had historically been used
as a receptacle for untreated stormwater, was to construct two 180-car parking
lots using porous asphalt pavement for student parking on the Allendale
Campus. The site consists of heavy clay soils and, instead of using limited
space for a detention basin, porous pavement was chosen to make the best
use of available space. It is also one of the first best management practices
adopted for campus use to move the university towards its goal of sustainable
site design.
GVSU’s clay soils don’t allow for much infiltration so the goal of the porous
pavement was primarily filtration and storage in the stone bed. Underdrains
exist in the beds for just over half of one lot which outlet into a swale that
has been planted with grasses. All other underdrains outlet directly to a
storm sewer.
Grand Valley State University Parking Lot
Source: Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr & Huber, Inc.
Case Study Site Considerations
Project Type Pervious pavement
Soil Conditions Heavy clay soils
Estimated Total
Project Cost
Maintenance
Responsibility
Project Contact
$240,000 per lot
Grand Valley State University
Bob Brown, brownbo@gvsu.edu 616-331-3582,
Kerri Miller, P.E., kamiller@ftch.com 616-464-3933
Project Highlights
The porous pavement has performed
well, and there are no
maintenance issues to date.
Since the project was completed
in 2004, GVSU faculty has used
the porous asphalt lots as an
educational tool to demonstrate
sustainable stormwater management
concepts with students.
The pavement section consisted
of 12 inches of MDOT 6A course
aggregate over a nonwoven
geotextile fabric, a four-inch
underdrain, and three inches of
porous asphalt.
Water on Porous Asphalt
Source: Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr & Huber, Inc.
LID Manual for Michigan – Chapter 7 Page 242