The Benefits of Permeable Paving for Municipalities

Urban development is important to ensure towns and cities can provide housing, public services, and more to an ever-growing community. But urbanization can come with some downsides if not considered properly. For instance, paving over nature with concrete and asphalt makes it difficult for runoff water to make its way back to natural bodies of water or back to nature, thus killing the environment around your community. Here are some benefits of permeable paving for municipalities that prevent such issues.

What Is Permeable Pavement?

To familiarize you, permeable paving provides a porous urban surface that allows water and oxygen to pass through it. This helps prevent water from sitting and flooding your streets and sidewalks by ensuring the water can return to the soil beneath the pavement. This is especially important if you install greenery like trees on your sidewalks to add a natural element to your urban areas. With permeable paving, the roots of plants will be able to receive the water and oxygen that concrete and asphalt would normally deprive plants of.

Hydrologic Benefits

As we’ve talked about, permeable paving allows water runoff to disperse back into the soil and prevent flooding on streets, sidewalks, and more. This creates a more reasonable way to manage the runoff from water that comes from storms by slowly releasing and dispersing the water back into the environment rather than through storm drains. By reducing how much storm water is going through a drain at once, you’ll prevent discharge of pollutants and contaminants from getting into local water sources.

Furthermore, by slowing the process, permeable pavement allows urban runoff to cool down. This minimizes the stress on the environment such as natural streams and lakes. Furthermore, to prevent pollutants from getting into water sources, the pollutants are trapped in the soil and chemically removed via bacteria and other microbes within soil.

Cold Weather Benefits

Another one of the benefits of permeable paving for municipalities is how it can improve roads and other surfaces when exposed to cold weather. For example, permeable pavement requires far less road salt since the water, once the snow and ice have melted, simply permeates the pavement into a reservoir underneath, where it’ll eventually be dispersed into the soil.

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Resin Bound Tree Pit Surrounds

By Jim Robinson • September 9, 2025

Resin Bound Tree Pits: The Smarter Way to Protect and Showcase Urban Trees In towns and cities everywhere, urban planners face the same challenge: how to protect tree roots while keeping public spaces clean, attractive, and safe. Traditional solutions—like loose gravel, soil, or metal grilles—often fall short. That’s where resin bound tree pits come in. What is a Resin Bound Tree Pit? A resin bound tree pit is a surfacing system that uses a blend of natural stone aggregates bound together with a clear, UV tolerant resin. Installed around the base of a tree, it creates a strong, permeable, and decorative surface that allows rainwater to drain through while protecting the soil and roots below. Think of it as a breathable shield for urban trees: tough enough to withstand foot traffic, but porous enough to support healthy root growth. Why Choose Resin Bound for Tree Pits? Permeability for Healthy Trees The resin bound surface is fully porous, meaning water and air can still reach the roots. This promotes long-term tree health and reduces the risk of waterlogging. Cleaner, Safer Surfaces Unlike loose gravel, resin bound surfaces don’t scatter, sink, or create trip hazards. In fact they help to eliminate trip hazards! They provide a smooth, stable finish—ideal for high-footfall areas. Aesthetic Appeal With a wide choice of natural stone colors, resin bound tree pits can complement surrounding paving, creating a polished, modern look in public spaces. Durability & Low Maintenance Resin bound surfacing is resistant to weeds, litter build-up, and erosion. It keeps the area around tree bases tidy without constant upkeep. Accessibility Friendly A smooth surface around tree pits is easier to navigate for strollers, wheelchairs, and pedestrians—making public spaces more inclusive. Where Are Resin Bound Tree Pits Used? City sidewalks to reduce tripping hazards and improve walkability Parks and plazas for cleaner, more attractive landscapes Shopping districts where appearance and safety matter Corporate campuses or schools to combine functionality with visual appeal A Sustainable Choice for Urban Environments! Resin bound systems align with modern sustainability goals. By ensuring stormwater naturally drains into the ground, they help prevent flooding and reduce strain on drainage systems. Combined with their long service life, a very competitive price point, they’re a future-proof investment for greener, smarter cities. Final Thoughts If you are considering the use of resin bound for your tree pits, don't just choose any resin bound product, choose one that is time tested, data driven and will sustain the demands of a harsh city environment. A good resin bound product will have similar strengths to concrete yet it will be completely pervious. Resin bound tree pits are more than just a neat landscaping detail—they’re a practical solution that supports tree health, improves safety, and enhances the look of urban spaces. If you’re planning a streetscape project, commercial landscape, or public park, resin bound surfacing could be the perfect choice for both form and function.