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City, MMSD approve permeable pavers on South Ninth Street; officials outline maintenance plan
Summary
The Public Works Committee approved a grant‑funded permeable paver installation on South Ninth Street and discussed maintenance, parking impacts and equipment needs for keeping the pavers functional.
The Public Works Committee approved a Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewer District (MMSD) Green Solutions Grant and a post‑installation maintenance covenant for permeable pavers to be installed in the westerly parking lane of South Ninth Street between West Greenfield Avenue and West Washington Street.
Tony Jousek of the Department of Public Works said the project is part of the city’s street reconstruction and will place permeable pavement in the parking lane; the city will enter a 10‑year maintenance covenant with MMSD. "We do inspect them with our tech group periodically to see what's going on with them and see if that's needed," Jousek said when describing typical maintenance and a vac‑truck cleaning cadence.
Committee members raised questions about vehicles parking over the permeable pavers and how vegetation and debris would be managed. Jousek said the city owns vac trucks that can perform spot cleaning but for longer stretches the work would be contracted; crews would likely schedule maintenance in the spring after winter debris accumulates. He also said the product currently used has large open joints and has performed well in other locations.
Alderwoman Pratt asked whether permeable pavers exacerbate freeze‑thaw damage to adjacent concrete; staff said U.S. Geological Survey studies from Madison indicate such systems tend to remain warmer and do not generally worsen freeze‑thaw effects. The pavers incorporate a subsurface drain so the system is typically dry and designed to infiltrate into groundwater where appropriate.
The sponsor, Ottoman Brower, moved adoption; the committee approved the file by unanimous voice vote: “hearing no objections, so ordered.”
DPW staff said they will provide aldermen with a list of other city permeable pavement installations on request and will coordinate with MMSD on the 10‑year maintenance covenant.
