“A” Avenue Green Street

The City of National applied for and received a $2.5 million environmental grant to convert “A” Avenue into a “green” street that treats urban storm water runoff and provides a safe, aesthetically pleasing walking environment for National City residents and guests. The project implemented Low-Impact Development (LID) infiltration measures along portions of “A” Avenue between E. 8th Street and Kimball Park to treat urban storm water runoff prior to entering the storm drain system and discharging into Paradise Creek. The LID measures consisted of infiltration basins, bioretention basins, a nutrient separator baffle box (NSBB), and a 30,000 gallon cistern that collects storm water runoff, separates pollutants and pumps the recycled water into an irrigation system for landscaping. Educational and interpretive signage was installed to highlight these features. Other improvements include enhanced crosswalks with pedestrian refuge islands and corner bulb-outs for traffic calming, pedestrian actuated flashing crosswalk signs, and high intensity signing and striping; new sidewalks and pedestrian curb ramps for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance; decomposed granite walking paths through Kimball Park; a new gateway plaza with permeable pavers adjacent to National City Public Library; and an educational creek-themed art wall implemented by local artists and volunteers from the Community. The “A” Avenue Green Street project successfully achieved the following objectives by combining safety and environmental benefits with an interactive walking experience: 1) Create a “Green Street” that implements Low-Impact Development (LID) infiltration measures to improve water quality of urban runoff entering the storm drain system which discharges downstream into Paradise Creek at Kimball Park. 2) Create a safe, environmentally friendly walking path along “A” Avenue to connect Historic Brick Row, Morgan Square and the 8th Street Revitalization District to City Hall, National City Public Library and Kimball Park. 3) Provide educational opportunities through implementation of interpretative signage and creek-themed art. See attached photos of the completed project.