Bethesda Green Street

Bethesda, MD

The Bethesda Downtown Green Street project builds on the work of local organizations, Bethesda Green and Bethesda Urban Partnership, to make this urban core a more sustainable urban ecosystem.

To meet the goals of improving stream health and mitigating future urban flooding caused by climate change, this design maintains existing healthy tree canopy and replaces some existing planting with bioretention planters. Sidewalks are redesigned with permeable paving and structural soil cells to reduce runoff, promote a healthier urban forest, and to filter stormwater.

As the first retrofit of an existing streetscape in Bethesda, the planters are designed to bring awareness to the link between urban runoff and the Little Falls Branch watershed. Curbs identify subwatersheds to build a literacy of natural systems as one walks through Bethesda.

In the news: Bethesda Green Street Project Awarded Chesapeake Bay Trust G3 Grant