Our State and National Parks are some of the most beautiful and pristine areas of land in the world. From coast to coast, people enjoy going on hikes and generally admiring nature on land that’s been set aside for this specific reason. However, even State and National Parks require paving in certain areas, which can detract from the natural beauty and is expensive to maintain as well.
Parking lots, pathways, and other paved areas are necessary to help us enjoy these parks to the fullest extent. Many paved areas within our Parks are currently made from either asphalt or concrete. These materials are not only inefficient, but producing them is a burden on the already-strained environment, and they deteriorate rapidly, leading to costly maintenance and other issues.
Fortunately, there’s a better solution than asphalt or concrete when it comes to paving our Parks. This is critical if we want to preserve our sacred land and keep our Parks in harmony with the land, so let’s look at a superior paving alternative.
When it comes to what type of pavement we should be using in our State and National Parks, there’s no question about it. Permeable pavement is a solution that outperforms concrete and asphalt in every category and is far better for the environment. For example, TRUEGRID PRO PLUS is a paving solution that combines gravel with interlocking, plastic pavers to provide a level surface that’s both tough and 100%-permeable.
This combination of incredible strength and permeability means that there is almost no maintenance required throughout the 40-50 year lifespan of these pavers. Unlike asphalt and concrete, which require lengthy waiting periods and heavy machinery to install, permeable pavers have the simplest installation method of any paving material.
For gravel-filled pavers like TRUEGRID PRO PLUS and TRUEGRID PRO LITE, the area to be paved is excavated to a depth of 8 to 12 inches. Next, a piece of fabric is laid at the bottom of the pit and gravel is poured in. The gravel is then compacted, and the pavers are snapped into place over the top like LEGO® blocks.
Once the pavers have been snapped into place, more gravel is poured over the top, filling the empty cells of the pavers and weighing them down on the patented X-anchors, a key feature of the TRUEGRID system. This gravel is compacted into the pavers by a heavy roller or vehicle, easily completing the installation process in as little as a day, depending on the size of the project.
The result is a tough, durable natural looking surface that compliments the park instead of violating it.
TRUEGRID Permeable Pavers Are More Eco-Friendly than Other Types of Pavement
Unlike asphalt or concrete which release excessive amounts of carbon into the air when they’re produced, TRUEGRID pavers are made from 100%-recycled plastic. Despite being made from plastic, they are far more durable than asphalt or concrete, which break easily and fall into disrepair over time. Permeable pavers are perfect for use in our State and National Parks because they’re UV-resistant, and unaffected by extreme temperatures and weather.
They also prevent the typical erosion found around impermeable pavement by allowing water to drain directly through. This lessens the need for maintenance and helps keep trails and pathways safer by preventing them from washing out. TRUEGRID PRO PLUS isn’t the only permeable pavement solution offered by TRUEGRID, either.
For a more natural-looking, yet just as durable and reliable type of pavement, there is the TRUEGRID ROOT™ paver system. They are designed to press right into the soil over the top of grass and can transform any grass area into a place suitable for parking and driving. The pavers stabilize the grass and prevent it from rutting or being torn up, and the grass is able to grow right up through the pavers, so they’re almost invisible to the naked eye, depending on the blade length of the grass.
This solution is perfect for parks that want to avoid the look of pavement as much as possible, while still retaining the stabilizing benefits of pavement. You can even designate parking spaces with TRUEGRID SuperSpot markers that snap right into place in the top of the pavers. It’s also great for stabilizing trails and pathways while leaving the natural ground as undisturbed as possible.
It’s Time for a Better Solution to Pavement in Our State and National Parks
State and National Parks are meant to be places of preserved natural splendor. This means we need to keep them as pure and healthy as possible. Adding asphalt and/or concrete pavement to our Parks drives up the annual cost of maintenance, contributes to pollution, and disturbs the natural environment in ways that we don’t want.
If you’re in a position to oversee the installation of pavement in our State and National Parks or you simply want to enjoy the benefits of TRUEGRID permeable pavers on your own land, contact a pavement professional at TRUEGRID today for a quote.
