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- American cities typically dredge rivers and build concrete walls along waterfronts to stem rising tides. But this so-called gray infrastructure can be unsightly, costly to maintain, and inflexible, says Kimberly Gray, professor of civil and environmental engineering at Northwestern University. Severe flooding is on the rise in the United States, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. As a result, urban planners from Boston to Houston to Milwaukee are increasingly considering transforming valuable waterfront real estate into climate-adaptable natural greenways.
“There are a number of powerful and necessary forces that are saying we need to make infrastructure improvements, particularly under these conditions of climate change and extreme events, and green infrastructure provides a very economically savvy way of dealing with it,” says Professor Gray.
The issue of rebuilding infrastructure generally draws a lackluster response from taxpayers, Gray says. But open wetlands and flood plains are aesthetically appealing and provide opportunity for recreation. At the planned Fort Point Channel Park in Boston, for instance, residents will be able to ride bikes and walk along the grassy waterfront when water levels are low. Wildlife, too, will benefit from the presence of natural ecosystems.