The Town of Easton, MD is required to repair or replace sidewalks around the Town.  The Town Engineer was looking to provide a cost effective solution that also provides environmental benefit.  The Town is also required by their Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit to restore 20% of all impervious surfaces within the Town limits.

The solution the Town decided to pursue, as a pilot project, was the use of permeable paver sidewalks in order to replace failing concrete and brick sidewalks as well as restore impervious surfaces.  The pilot project is the Buffalo House which is a historically significant house within the Town. 

In order to ease the installation of permeable pavers and reduce the cost of installing  pavers, the Town Department of Public Works sidewalk crew used PaverGuide under the permeable pavers.  The town noted the benefits of using permeable pavers with PaverGuide will replace impervious surfaces pervious surfaces, capture and infiltrate stormwater,  stabilize pavers, and create healthier street trees by reducing compaction and increasing air movement to the roots.

Dustin Otto, Town of Easton Sidewalk Crew Leader, stated: “We have never installed a sidewalk that looks this good.”  The project was very successful, so the Town will install permeable pavers with PaverGuide on all future sidewalk replacements.

The Town, with the help of PaverGuide, will reduce stormwater runoff  leading to a cleaner Choptank River and Chesapeake Bay.