Seattle Department of Transportation crews are out planting free street trees in Whittier Heights.
Last month we wrote that the city would be planting hundreds of trees in 2011. In Ballard those trees are going in from 9th Ave NW to 14th Ave NW and NW 65th St to NW 85th St on blocks with planting strips at least five feet wide. Crews tell us this project will take them a couple of weeks.
City planting free street trees
Do they just give them away, or show you where to plant them?
The reason I ask is that I’ve seen other street tree giveaways (I think on 30th around 60th) that were planted a year or two ago in full sun, yet there was a big label that said “shade” tied around the trunk.
or did that mean it was a “shade-producing” tree?
well, i am no expert, but it seems from that picture above, they plant the trees.
I opted out for trees on my parking strip – I am sick and tired of forking over big bucks to have tree roots rooter rooted out of my sewer line. Regardless that these roots are in the pipes in the street, it is still my responsibilty to pay for maintenance. I just had a new sewer system installed – and was told tree roots are a huge problem in the street sewer lines in Ballard.
What kind of trees are they?
“Free trees” eh? Somebody had to pay 4 ’em. And gee, who would that be? Who’s going to maintian ’em? Rake the leaves? Pay the rooter guy when the roots enter sewer lines? Didn’t this city just have to contract out a massive trimming program too? Who paid 4 that? During times like these I have a hard time with “free” anything. Like $30K for sound-proofing homes along train lines. Where’s that $ come from? Want a tree? Go buy them yourself.
do you hate trees?
they do a lot of public good.
you make them sound like public nuisance #1.
there’s so few trees in ballard I have a hard time believing they are a ‘big’ problem for sewer lines
The city plants the trees and waters them for the first 2 years. There was a choice of several different types of trees – some less leafy than others. Not sure about their root systems, though. If you did not respond to them with a choice, they chose for you.
They are a fscking huge problem for sewer lines. My own sewer line needs thousands of dollars in repairs from tree root damage.
Yeah, get out of yard!!!
If you just had a new sewer put in you’ll have less of a chance to have a root problem. The roots get in at the seams or breaks of the old clay pipes which were every couple feet. The new sewer has longer uninterrupted sections, so fewer seams to possibly fail.
Aaaaaanyway…the solution is to not plant a tree right on top of your sewer line. Plant it away from your sewer line and you’ll be fine.
Yes, tree roots, shrub roots, vines, all get in to the old clay sewer pipes when you plant them right over your sewer line. Keep some distance and it’s not a problem.
It’s such a bad idea to plant these trees on the parking strips.
No one maintains them and they darken the streets.