Stormwater Management Design for Residential Boulevards

Conventional approaches for urban stormwater §management have contributed to the serious§environmental degradation of our watersheds in the§form of water pollution, habitat destruction, and§decreased ground water recharge. Alternative design§strategies such as incorporating drainage swales§along residential streets have the potential to§reduce such impacts, and are beginning to be§implemented in North America. However, the public§process involved in the planning of these projects§has been time-consuming and little research has been§conducted into the visual preferences associated with§these novel streetscape designs. To explore factors§that may influence visual preference, members of§various neighbourhood organizations were surveyed§regarding their visual preference for eight different§boulevard designs. By identifying specific landscape§elements and demographic factors that increase visual§preference, the results of this study could provide§important insight for professionals involved in the§design and implementation of alternative stormwater§management projects.