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The town of Edmonston is one step closer to beginning construction in January on the state's first green street, which will employ a number of ecologically friendly measures like rain garden tree boxes and large tree cover.

The Town Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to enter into a contract with Beltsville-based Low Impact Development Center Inc., a nonprofit environmental engineer group, to do work on the storm drains and storm-water management aspect of the project.

Decatur Street will see better sidewalks, more trees, traffic calming and a water drainage system that will capture storm water in retention ponds.

The road will be Maryland's first green street, Edmonston Mayor Adam Ortiz said. Portland, Ore., approved constructing several green streets throughout that city in 2007.

Ortiz said the green street will both help the health of the Chesapeake Bay, which eventually receives much of the runoff from the street, and be a model for other towns to emulate.

"We're interested in a vanguard project, something special that is not just about asphalt and sidewalks, but that is a critical part of the community," he said.

The Town Council also gave the nod to Ortiz to put together an advisory group of local experts and environmental organizations to give the town input on the project. Members could include representatives from the Anacostia Watershed Society, Progressive Cheverly, the Neighborhood Design Center and residents who have been vocal about their support of improving the street.

"We have a lot of local experts on everything from storm-water management to bike paths to safety," Ortiz said.

The Low Impact Development Center Inc. gave the town a $33,000 estimate on the storm water contract, so Town Administrator Guy Tiberio asked council members to give him some leeway in negotiating the price down.

In March, the town received a $25,000 grant from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation for the project, which will in total cost more than $1 million. The town has taken out bonds to pay for the remaining portion of the project, Tiberio said.

The town expects to receive a report by the end of the month from engineers conducting surveys, after which the advisory group could convene for the first time, Ortiz said.

The project will go to bid in January and construction could begin at the end of January, weather permitting, Tiberio said. The estimated completion date is May 2009.

E-mail Elahe Izadi at eizadi@gazette.net.