Climate Justice Trees for Beacon Hill

Beacon Hill already has one of the lowest tree canopies in Seattle at 15%, but it’s about to get even lower. Seattle’s Department of Transportation (SDOT)  is planning to rebuild the Beacon Ave S sidewalk. They say it will be infeasible to keep many of the large trees shading the community.

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The Details

SDOT has posted evaluation signs on 70+ large shade trees on Beacon Ave S between S Juneau and S Monterey Pl. However, SDOT says that many on the west side will likely be removed because they have outgrown their assigned 3-foot planting box.

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We Can Keep These Trees

Creative SDOT planners and engineers already developed solutions to keep trees on Aurora Ave N and in South Park and we can keep trees here, too. Approaches included:

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• Bridging over roots: This alternative to root-pruning helps trees stay healthy.
• More soil, less concrete: Instead of cutting down large shade trees because they don’t fit into concrete boxes, why not make the boxes bigger through adjusted sidewalk width or bump-outs into the parking lane?  
• Thoughtful parking space removal: Sacrificing just a few parking spaces adds the soil trees need.

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Real Shade Trees Don’t Fit Into 3-Foot Boxes

SDOT has told us that they won’t be able to replace these trees with anything that will grow to their original size. Real shade trees aren’t meant to fit in tiny, 3-foot squares surrounded by concrete. Through previous projects, SDOT has already shown that we can take small steps to reduce pavement. By removing a handful of parking places, or adjusting sidewalk width while maintaining ADA-compliance, we can take meaningful steps to make our city greener.

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Street Trees = Environmental Justice for a Frontline Community 

Beacon Hill residents have fewer trees and live with more air pollution and heat than almost any other Seattle neighborhood. Beacon Hill lies directly in the flight path of planes landing at Seatac. The leaves and canopy of mature trees capture pollutants before they can enter our lungs, and reduce noise pollution. Beacon Ave S is a heavily-traveled street just blocks from I-5.  Keeping large, healthy trees working hard to protect the community is the answer.

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How You Can Help 

Click here to send a prewritten email, or copy and paste the text below.

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To: seattle.trees@seattle.gov, mark.solomon2@seattle.gov, sara.nelson@seattle.gov, alexismercedes.rinck@seattle.gov, bruce.harrell@seattle.gov

Subject: Save the Beacon Ave S Climate Justice Trees

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Dear SDOT Tree Team, City Council members and Mayor Harrell,

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I am reaching out about 70+ trees at risk of removal on two blocks of Beacon Ave S, between S Juneau and S Monterey Pl. When SDOT fast-tracks sidewalk projects like this one,  that increase urban heat islands and remove the only noise and air pollution protection this frontline community has, city leaders need to step in. 

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We know from other neighborhoods that SDOT can integrate existing mature trees into projects. Why is this kind of advance planning and innovative sidewalk design not part of the Beacon Ave S project? 

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Please pause this project, and ask SDOT planners to work with their arborists on ways to maximize retention of valuable public trees. Beacon Hill deserves no less and should instead receive priority.

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Thank you to Kersti Muul for the photos.