Permeable paving in cold climate

Question

Does anyone have recommendations for permeable driveway/paving for cold climates? Not a fan of the plastic grids with grass. Here in Eastern Ontario (Canada), there is lots of snow and ice so it must be shovel-able and stand up well to freeze-thaw cycles.
We have -20 degree(C) or colder winters, as well as humid 30+ degree summers.

Answer 1

There are concrete grid and grass systems, if it's the plastic you don't like.

This page claims that porous asphalt systems stand up to freezing better than normal asphalt, and stand up to salt better than concrete systems.

This is a rather more in-depth review of various systems and maintenance issues, with one reult being a suggestion that regular maintenance is required to maintain permeability.

Answer 2

Throughout Northern Europe, Scandinavia and Great Britain the go-to paving solution for drastic weather variations is a combination of porphyry and a mortar called GftK. Porphyry (ancient greco-roman for "purple") is a tough and beautiful, naturally occurring cousin of granite. If you have been to Europe or South America and have seen the cobbled streets, you know porphyry. I believe the Road to Carthage (the actual road, not the movie) was built with porphyry in about 50 AD. GtfK is an epoxy-based mortar that can be applied at temperatures down to 3.33 degrees (C) and even in the rain. If done correctly this application--which, by the way is permeable--will last for decades with NO MAINTENANCE REQUIRED. It can bound unlike materials with differing expansion rates, it doesn't shrink so there won't be any mortar valleys, and it can withstand daily power-washings. It doesn't stain and water can actually be captured underneath and recycled. The only place in the US and Canada that sells this combination is Milestone Imports Inc. out of Santa Fe, New Mexico. Their site has a ton more information, including testimonials, specs and CAD drawings: www.milestoneimports.com.

Answer 3

Ecnerwal has provided a most detailed study from Minnesota which has a similar climate to Eastern Ontario where you are. From a practical point of view your choices resolve to:

• traditional gravel driveway
• interlock driveway

These are the only two solutions which I know are available to homeowners and meet these criteria:

• must be able to be cleaned by manual or power snow removal tools
• must withstand loads from cars, sunlight, rain
• can withstand the occasional salt, sand or other ice melting product. Eastern Ontario is notorious for now and again ice storms. Finding your driveway has become a skating rink overnight requires a surface that can be made safe quickly.
• should be able to be repaired

Gravel is much cheaper but harder to shovel. Interlock is expensive but requires less maintenance. Both solutions require a deep stable base in order to last. A typical suburban driveway may have 12" of compacted gravel and then the top layer. For areas with heavy clay soils a base of 24" will cost more preparation but provide a longer life.

As a side note if the point of asking for a permeable surface was to reduce water runoff going into storm drains then you could accomplish a considerable reduction by redirecting downspouts from gutters into buried four inch drain pipe with sleeve and french drains.

Answer 4

Looks like there is a company called Tar & Chip Ottawa that installs resin bound permeable driveways.