If you drive along Mexico City’s iconic Beltway expressway, you will notice a new green makeover of the roadway pillars. The renamed “Vía Verde” includes 1,000 concrete columns covered in lush vegetation to create 15 acres of vertical gardens.
The pillars serve to both beautify the area surrounding the roadway and also to purify the air and help eliminate smog created by car traffic.
The columns are partially irrigated with recycled rainwater using a remote-controlled automated system. The initiative was spearheaded by a citizen-created petition that amassed 75,000 signatures in just a week. The pillars are supported by the private sector so they aren’t a burden on local governments.
We love this solution both for its positive effect on air pollution and the natural beauty it adds to the cityscape.
