The Dallas Arboretum is a nationally acclaimed botanical garden situated on 66 acres on the shores of White Rock Lake in Dallas, Texas. The venue is an important, high-profile facility that generates critical tourism and income to the
area. In 2011, more than 500,000 visitors from over 50 countries walked through its gates to enjoy the scenery and activities.

As part of an active expansion and improvement program, the Dallas Arboretum needed additional parking to accommodate the forecasted rise in traffic volume into the park over the next decade.

The new parking structure needed to blend into the surrounding area while mitigating stormwater runoff concerns. In close collaboration with the City of Dallas, the design team decided to use a natural, permeable surface capable of withstanding heavy parking lot traffic. After comparing the various products available, the design team chose tan-colored NDS EZ Roll Gravel Pavers for their strength, durability and ease of installation.

EZ Roll is an ADA-compliant resin-based cellular reinforcement system that houses stone in-fill, supports heavy vehicular loads, maintains surface permeability, and prohibits rutting. The paver comes in 4 X 150’ units (600 sq ft) that are rolled out over a compacted, permeable engineered base layer, and filled with 3/8” angular clean stone. EZ Roll Gravel Paver is available in black, tan, gray, and brick red to blend in with any colored natural stone fill.

Phase 1 of the project involved installing EZ Roll in a parking area spanning approximately 75,000 sq. ft. The design team needed to delineate driving lanes from parking stalls, so NDS designed, developed, and delivered the EZ
Marker system—a high-impact plastic marking dome that securely fastens into the paver’s cells and rises ¾” above the grid.

NDS reps worked closely with the design team and contractors throughout the project to ensure proper technical and design support, on-time delivery, and installation consultations. According to Christopher Lang, Senior Project Manager for GC Turner Construction Company, “The NDS product and customer service were excellent. The EZ Roll Gravel Pavers provided a tough and permeable surface that blended with the beautiful scenery of the Dallas Arboretum. NDS provided the flexibility, engineering, and site visits needed to ensure quality installation and ultimate performance.”

Phase 2 of the parking project will begin in mid-November and will include up to 110,000 sq. ft. of permeable paving. The schedule allows for construction to be completed by the first weekend of March 2013, just in time for the annual Dallas Blooms event that is expected to attract nearly 200,000 visitors to the Arboretum.