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Reinforcing a Sloped Grass Drive10-26-11 | News
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Reinforcing a Sloped Grass Drive


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Fire truck and utility access is a common site requirement. Implementing that access into the design is sometimes further complicated by restricted use of impervious surfaces and uneven or sloping terrain.

Traditional grass paving has often been the answer to these design constraints, with mixed reviews over the years for function, longevity, vegetative persistence and performance.

The landscape architects of Krizan Associates recently proposed a reinforced-grass access drive for a new master plan residence as a fluid component for a site, while providing needed functionality under the spatial limitations. John Krizan, principal of the landscape firm, was particularly focused on the long-term viability of the ground cover. ?EUR??,,????'?????<

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Planting grass plugs in the cells throughout the system jumpstarted the grass.

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The specified grass pavers (BodPave85) are two-inch thick, made of 100 percent recycled high-density polyethylene and have 16 integrated 1.35-inch ground spikes along the bottom. The ground spikes stabilize the grass paving and prevent lateral drift under consistent traffic or on sloped surfaces (recommended up to a 12 percent slope). The cell depth and ground spike create a deeper four-inch root zone above the compacted base, allowing an increased fibrous root structure to integrate across the perforated cell walls and support seeded vegetation long-term. The plastic grids can be filled with soil and grassed, or filled with gravel for a decorative look. The deeper soil profile increases the volume of stormwater runoff storage. According to the manufacturer, it can retain a .75-1-inch rain without an engineered subbase, a plus in addressing site runoff in a cost-effective manner. When water infiltrates into the profile, the water retention cells preserve moisture for the grass, thus reducing irrigation demands and minimizing plant shock during dry periods.

Each paver is designed to nest into its adjacent partner. The connections can be offset in increments of three inches, greatly reducing waste on projects and increasing the speed and ease of installation.

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