Green Infrastructure Passes Kansas City Test

RESTORING COMMUNITY PRIDE: Kansas City Mayor Sly James shows off the design of street sign toppers for the first “KC Green Neighborhood.” The city completed an $80 million green infrastructure project in December and officials say the new rain gardens, curb extensions and other green solutions have boosted neighborhood pride, spurring private investment and increased property values

City Official Says Green Solutions Make Economic Sense

“Green infrastructure is helping alleviate combined sewer overflows, as intended, in the neighborhood where heavy rains often sent raw sewage spilling into the waterways of the Middle Blue River Basin”, wrote Randy Rodgers in an article posted on the Sustainable City Network.

“But, Jan Marcason, a Kansas City council member speaking at the recent New Partners for Smart Growth Conference in Kansas City, said going green in the basin has created a ripple effect, increasing community pride, a spike in private investment, an increase in property values, and citizens who are more engaged in neighborhood beautification projects and city policymaking.”

“She said Kansas City was the first city in the nation to include green infrastructure in an EPA consent decree, and the first to be given 25 years to execute the plan – an extra five years to allow the native plants used in green infrastructure to reach their full potential.”

To Learn More:

To read the complete story, click on Green Infrastructure Passes Kansas City Test to download a copy of the article by Randy Rodgers.