Project Background
A new restaurant, Different Strokes, constructed adjacent to the Grimsby Rail Station (Grimsby, Ontario, Canada) required additional parking for its patrons. The area next to the station and in close proximity to a railway was ideal; however, there were restrictions on any excavation on this land for a traditional paved parking surface. The owner of Different Strokes Restaurant was looking for a parking system that could utilize this space without excavation requirements. The design/build contractor, SanaClara, contacted Layfield Group for information on the GEOPAVE® Porous Paving System manufactured by Presto Geosystems.
GEOPAVE Aggregate Porous Pavement System
The GEOPAVE® system’s structural framework holds highly permeable, open-graded aggregate to help promote on-site infiltration. Water flows through the pavement layer into the stormwater retention base layer for storage and natural percolation. The modular units are made of 97% recycled polyethylene with a monolithic mesh bottom that retains infill within the system.
The GEOPAVE units lock together with the U-Clip connection device and can be deployed in a herringbone or bricklayer pattern. The system supports daily traffic, including heavy loads, up to AASHTO HS25, typical in a parking lot surface.
This system meets green building and stormwater goals, while earning LEED credits.
Project Solution
In September 2020, 1,550 units (750m2) of the GEOPAVE porous pavers were installed in a herringbone pattern over a 6-inch compacted and graded granular base then infilled with aggregate. Installers used a circular saw to trim the GEOPAVE panels and achieve the desired rounded edges. The installation took approximately three days to complete.
Shortly after the installation, a heavy downpour was recorded in the area. The precipitation infiltrated on-site with no runoff and no ponding or pooling within the parking surface.
The contractor expressed interest in integrating the GEOPAVE system into future projects due to the speed and efficiency of the install.
Editor's Note: Scranton Gillette Communications and the SGC Infrastructure Group are not liable for the accuracy, efficacy and validity of the claims made in this piece. The views expressed in this content do not reflect the position of the Roads & Bridges' Editorial Team.
