SAN FRANCISCO—A public hearing was held on August 24 regarding a proposal to cut down nearly 200 trees along Van Ness Avenue’s thoroughfares, from Mission to Lombard Streets.
The plan is part of a $158.8 million effort to make additional room for Muni’s citywide expansion. According to the San Francisco Municipal Transit Authority (SFMTA), the city plans to make pedestrian safety enhancements, including new landscaping, roadway resurfacing, signage upgrades, new lighting on streets and sidewalks to improve safety and aesthetics.
The city has posted 30-day notices on trees to inform local residents that they are scheduled for removal for the transit system.
The SFMTA announced that they plan to replace the acacia, eucalyptus, oak, and cherry trees with approximately 400 new trees. However, local residents in opposition are still unhappy about the city’s decision.
On Monday, August 24, dozens of locals attended City Hall’s Van Ness Corridor hearing to speak on behalf of the trees. Neighbors along this pathway are disgruntled by the lack of notification and awareness prior to the city’s decision to remove the trees.
The San Francisco Forest Alliance stated, “Street trees are enormously valuable to the community. They reduce pollution by trapping particulates in the air and thus keep them out of our lungs.”
“Removing mature trees and planting saplings instead doesn’t provide the same benefits. It takes decades for the replacements to grow to the same maturity – and meanwhile, all the benefits to environment, health, and habitat are accordingly reduced,” the organization added.
The San Francisco News spoke with SFMTA’s Chief Spokesperson Paul Rose, who stated ,“This project will provide a more efficient and safer experience to thousands of people moving along Van Ness Avenue — one of the busiest corridors in the city.” In addition, Rose mentioned that “these improvements are expected to reduce transit travel times by 32 percent and improve the transit experience for over 60,000 projected customers daily.”
“The general plan has been approved and a contractor has been selected. The project is currently in details design with construction starting early 2016,” said Rose.
