Some interesting facts from a Chicago Sun-Times article on green alleys:
- Chicago boasts 1,900 miles of public alleys, the largest system in the world
- Permeable, light-reflective “green alleys” can help cities reduce heat costs and better manage ground water.
- The asphalt recycles tire rubber in its mix, and the concrete uses “slag” — a byproduct of metal processing — to make it reflective.
- About 600 tires can be recycled into a 600-square-foot alley.
- Image from
I always get excited when I learn about projects like this. It’s great when people break away from things that have “always been done that way” and actually come up with something innovative. I like the inclusion of the dark sky lighting.. something that I’m also very big on, it’s nice to know that someone thought enough to not overlook it.
i like the tree illustration. What kind of tree is that?
an overly-trimmed pine tree. it won’t last long after that kind of abuse 🙁
It’s the super rare fan tree. It’s only seen in drawings and sketches.