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City of Redwood City

Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program
Design Guidelines for Permeable Pavements
GENERAL
A. The attached chart is a guideline for general permeability of pavement materials. Permeability depends on
various site-specific factors, including soil type, sediment deposition potential, rainfall intensity, and site slope.
These estimates are only approximate and should not be used for flood control sizing. The percentages
assume that the materials have been properly installed and will be properly maintained according to
recommended practices

.

B. Design and maintenance specifications (i.e., subgrade and base composition) are detailed in various sources
such as Start at the Source. Final permeability ratios allocated to each material will be determined by the
City Engineering Department based on the variable factors, site circumstances, and manufactures
specifications.

C. Permeable paving systems may only be used in private streets and parking areas, subject to City Engineers
approval.

Permeable Pavements
A. Permeable Pavements include the following:
1. Poured-in-place materials (pervious concrete, porous asphalt)
2. Unit pavers-on-sand (turf block, brick, natural stone)
3. Granular materials (crushed aggregate/gravel and cobbles)

B. Permeable pavements reduce impervious land coverage while simultaneously providing a stable load-bearing
surface. While forming a surface suitable for walking and driving, permeable pavements also contain
sufficient void space to infiltrate runoff into soil. By making pavements permeable, impervious surface
coverage can be reduced without sacrificing intensity of use.

C. A typical component of permeable pavements is a reservoir base course. This base course provides a stable
load-bearing surface as well as an underground reservoir for water storage. The base course must meet two
requirements:

1. It must be open graded, crushed stone (not pea gravel), meaning that the particles are of a
limited size range, with no fines, so that small particles do not choke the voids between large
particles. Open-graded crushed stone of all sizes has a 38 to 40% void space, allowing for
substantial subsurface water storage.

2. Crushed stone may be City Standard Specification for Class I, Type A Permeable Material.

3. Rounded river gravel (pea gravel) is not recommended due to movement and deformation. The
angular sides of the crushed stone will form an interlocking matrix, keeping the surface stable.

4. Permeable pavements must be laid on a relatively flat slope, generally 5% or flatter. If permeable
pavements are laid on steep slopes, the underlying base course tends to migrate downhill,
causing the surface to deform.

D. TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF PERMEABLE PAVEMENTS, PLAN THE SLOPE OF PARKING
LOTS SO THAT PERIMETER PARKING RECEIVES THE RUNOFF FORM THE MORE
PERVIOUS AREAS. IN COMBINATION WITH PLANTER STRIPS, THE PERVIOUS AREAS
CAN ACT AS A FITTER MEDIUM AS WELL (SEE PAGE 7).

Generally derived from Start at the Source: Design Guidance Manual for Stormwater Quality Protection (1999 edition); and California
Stormwater Quality Association: Stormwater Best Management Practice Handbook (January 2003).

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City of Redwood City
Pavement Permeability Chart
1

Material Description Possible
Applications
2

Percent
Permeable
3

Example
Asphalt
(conventional)
Impervious
cemetitious
material in which
the predominating
constituents are
bitumens. Contains
fine aggregate
(dust or sand) that
fill the voids
between larger
particles making it
impermeable.
High volume
and/or speed
traffic areas
If feasible, slope
towards
infiltration basins
instead of into
directly-
connected
collection
structures
Negligible
Asphalt
(porous)
Open-graded
asphalt concrete
over an open-
graded aggregate
base, over a
draining soil.
Contains very little
fine aggregate
(dust or sand) and
is comprised
almost entirely of
stone aggregate
and asphalt binder;
Flat sites
(slopes <6%)
with uniform,
permeable
subgrade
Low traffic use,
such as parking
lots, travel
lanes, parking
stalls
Surface may be
too rough for
25 to 40%


1
This chart was generally derived from Start at the Source: Design Guidance Manual for Stormwater Quality Protection (1999 edition); and California Stormwater
Quality Association: Stormwater Best Management Practice Handbook (January 2003).
2
Permeable pavements are not appropriate for gas stations, truck stops, or areas in which high concentrations of hydrocarbons or other pollutants can be leached
into soil.
3
Percentages are based largely on runoff coefficients that determine the portion of rainfall or irrigation that will run off the surface based on the permeability and
water-holding capacity of the material. The runoff coefficient value, expressed as C, can vary from close to zero to up to 1.0. A low C value indicates that most of
the water is retained for a time on the site, as by soaking into the ground or forming puddles, whereas a high C value means that most of the water runs off
rapidly. These estimates are only approximate and should not be used for flood control sizing.

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Material Description Possible
Applications
2

Percent
Permeable
3

Example
surface void
content of 12-20%.
bicycle path
Brick Solid unit paver laid
on a permeable
base with sand
joints.
Flat sites
(slopes <6%)
Driveways,
walkways,
patios, public
sidewalks,
plazas, low
volume streets
25 to 85%,
depending on
joint spacing
(larger joints
have greater
permeability).
Mortared
joints on a
concrete base
have 0%
permeability

Cobbles Natural stones of
various sizes
generally consisting
of larger granular
material ranging
from 6 inches to 24
inches diameter set
on soil.
Garden areas
(i.e., around
bases of trees),
parkway planter
strips and
median island,
decorative
landscaping
10 to 40%,
depending on
joint spacing
and stone
size

Concrete
(conventional)
Impervious
composite building
material made from
the combination of
aggregate
(generally gravel
and sand) and
cement binder.
High volume
driveways,
sidewalks
If feasible, slope
towards
infiltration
basins instead
of into directly-
connected
collection
structures
Negligible

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Material Description Possible
Applications
2

Percent
Permeable
3

Example
Concrete
(pervious)
also called
Portland
cement
pervious
pavement
A discontinuous
mixture of coarse
aggregate,
hydraulic cement
and other
cementitious
materials,
admixtures, and
water which has a
surface void
content of 15-25%
allowing water to
pass through.
Flat sites
(slopes <6%)
with uniform,
permeable
subgrade
Sidewalks and
patios
Low traffic
volume and low
speed (less
than 30 mph
limit) bikeways,
streets, travel
lanes, parking
stalls, and
residential
driveways
30 to 50%

Crushed
aggregate
(gravel)
Crushed stone
ranging from sand-
sized fines to 2-
inch diameter
stone.
Parking stalls,
driveways,
walkways,
plazas, patios,
street shoulder
Low volume and
low speed
vehicle traffic
areas
Areas of low
erosion
For surfaces
subject to
vehicular use,
crushed gravel
sizes between
3/8 and 3/4
make a stable
surface that is
also easy to
walk on
60 to 90%,
permeability
increases with
larger
aggregate
sizes


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Material Description Possible
Applications
2

Percent
Permeable
3

Example
Natural stone Laid on pervious
surface area in
random pattern
with wide sand,
gravel, or soil joints
(from 1/2 to 4
inches).
Flat sites
(slopes <6%)
Driveways,
walkways,
patios,
sidewalks,
plazas, low-use
parking stalls
20 to 75%,
depending on
joint size.
Mortared
joints on a
concrete base
are not
considered
permeable

Turf block Open celled unit
paver filled with soil
and planted with
turf. Sometimes the
cells are filled with
crushed rock only.
Areas of low
flow traffic and
infrequent
parking
Residential
driveways and
overflow parking
areas,
emergency
access roads,
utility roads, and
street shoulders
Outer
commercial and
retail
development
where low-use
spaces are
located
40 to 85%,
depending on
slope and
surface
configurations


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Material Description Possible
Applications
2

Percent
Permeable
3

Example
Unit pavers
on sand
Discrete units set in
a pattern on a
prepared base. Unit
pavers are typically
made of precast
concrete in shapes
that form
interlocking
patterns; some of
the shapes form
patterns that
include an open
cell to increase
permeability. Solid
unit pavers are
made of
impermeable
materials, but can
be spaced to
expose a
permeable joint set
on a permeable
base.
Flat sites (<6%)
Parking stalls,
private driveways,
walkways, patios
Low volume
streets, travel
lanes, and
bikeways
25 to 90%
(more
permeable if
larger voids)











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Vegetated Swale (Bio-
Swale)

Conventional Approach
Permeable (Hybrid)
Approach
The conventional
approach to parking
lot design uses
impermeable paving
(asphalt or concrete)
and directs runoff to
drains that transport
the drainage to the
stormwater system or
to a discharge point at
a creek or other
channel.
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Drain
Inlet
An alternative
(permeable) approach
to parking lot design
directs runoff to
pervious pavement,
landscape or
vegetated swales for
infiltration, and
disperses drainage
prior to discharge to a
creek or other
channel.
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