Oxford Green Streets

In May 2021, Oxford Borough was awarded a Chesapeake Bay Trust Green Streets, Green Jobs, Green Towns grant. The purpose of the grant was to identify two green infrastructure projects for implementation, with the dual goals of reducing the amount of stormwater pollution impairing local streams and increasing the amount of green space in the urban core. Program partners included the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, and the Chesapeake Bay Trust.

Green infrastructure filters and absorbs stormwater where it falls, and the borough engaged Meliora to assess green infrastructure opportunities, identify two feasible and visible projects, provide concept plans, and then engineer their design. Candidate projects were evaluated for the potential to address multiple community needs such as new sidewalks and road improvements, and ease of implementation.

Based on initial client and public feedback, two specific concept designs were advanced. One was a tree trench project in front of the Oxford Borough police station, and the second was a series of traffic calming bioretention bump outs on West Mt. Vernon Street.

In addition to engineering analyses, Meliora developed materials for the public engagement and grant applications. These materials included presentation boards and a brief video introducing the project.

For details about the program and each project, click this link.