Mt. Diablo Boulevard Landscape Improvements

City of Lafayette

When street improvements along Mt. Diablo Boulevard prompted the redesign of existing medians, the City of Lafayette asked WMA to design and implement new, colorful perennial plantings along the east entry into downtown Lafayette. The planning involved intense coordination with the Downtown Redevelopment Commission and local businesses. This project responded to a variety of constraints, particularly related to tree planting and median drainage. Three techniques were used to eliminate the "bath tub" effect typical in medians, in which tree roots suffer from standing water and do not have ample room to grow in narrow medians. The section was excavated to 36 inches to remove any impermeable surfaces; drainpipes were installed at the outer edges of the median and emptied into a sump at either end of the median; and the median was bermed to provide the roots with aerated soil and to raise the canopy of the tree above the traffic.

Before Construction

After Construction