TREE RELOCATION PROMPTS
TEMPORARY ROAD CLOSURE
ON STATE ROAD
Sarasota, FL: One lane in each direction on Mound Street
will be temporarily closed Wed., January 28 and Thurs.,
January 29 between 10:00pm and 6:00am to enable crews to
remove dozens of trees in the median and relocate them
in nearby Luke Wood Park. One northbound and one southbound
lane will be closed on Mound Street between Washington
Blvd. and Osprey Avenue. All work will be done at night
to reduce traffic delays.
The palm trees are being removed from the median faster
than expected to accommodate an accelerated road widening
project by the Florida Department of Transportation. The
project, which will add one southbound lane on Mound Street
from Osprey Ave. to Washington Blvd., is part of an accelerated
state economic stimulus. The trees must be removed by Sun.,
February 1, 2009.
Initially, the trees were going to be discarded; however,
the City of Sarasota intervened to recover the trees. The
Department of Public Works will oversee the temporary transplanting
of them into nearby Luke Wood Park. In about two months,
the trees will be permanently moved to several locations
throughout the City. “We will temporarily place the
trees in a shallow hole to keep them in good condition.
That’s a common landscape practice,” said Neil
Gaines, Engineering Technician. “This will give the
City time to prepare the areas where the trees will be
permanently relocated.” Possible areas where the
trees will be moved include: John Ringling Causeway Bridge
near the Saprito Pier, the Municipal Auditorium, Links
Park, Tamiami Trail near 10th Street and the War Memorial.
The inventory totals 51 trees: 36 Washingtonian Palms,
six Canary Island Palms, eight Sylvester Palms and one
Sabal Palm. By relocating the trees, the City is not only
emphasizing its commitment to preserving the urban forest,
but it is also being fiscally prudent. Palm trees are expensive,
particularly Sylvester and Canary Island Palms, which can
cost more than $15,000 each.
Map
showing temporary holding area for trees.
For more information, please contact:
Jan
Thornburg, Public Information Officer (941) 954-2613
jan.thornburg@sarasotagov.com
