Trees

Auburn lays out multi-year plan for downtown trees and streetscape

A vital part of the City of Auburn’s vision for downtown is the Downtown Street Tree Replacement project that will bring a healthier, revitalized tree canopy to downtown Auburn.

A portion of the project began in 2015 when 11 new Princeton American elm trees were planted at Toomer's Corner following the Corner Construction project. The trees were planted using silva-cell technology, which uses an underground system of blocks filled with loosely compacted soil to improve root growth and allow trees to grow faster and healthier.

Moving forward, the City plans to replace approximately 32 other street trees on North College Street from Magnolia Avenue to Glenn Avenue and on Magnolia Avenue from Gay Street to Wright Street with Princeton American elms and other tree species using silva-cell technology.

The new trees will replace crepe myrtle, holly, magnolia, green vase zalkova and weeping yaupon trees. Remaining landscape beds around existing trees will be removed and replaced with tree grates, increasing the amount of usable sidewalk.

Several of the existing trees have been removed in recent years because of poor health, and several more will likely need to be removed in the future. One example is the crepe myrtles along Magnolia Avenue that have grown around the decorative wrought iron fencing that was installed when the trees were first planted.

New trees

The Princeton American elm was chosen to be one of downtown's primary street trees after deliberation by a team of local experts from the City of Auburn, Auburn University and Auburn’s Tree Commission. The team recommended the City plant various types of trees downtown to keep one disease or complication from wiping out all trees in the area.

Several other species have been planted in association with development in and around downtown Auburn including live oaks on Opelika Road, everclear elms on Glenn Avenue and Wright Street, willow oaks on Glenn Avenue and Ross Street and Chinese pistaches on Gay Street.

Reason for new trees

During the planning process, the team of experts analyzed ways to preserve existing street trees, including those along East Magnolia Avenue, but found that replacing them was the best option for long-term healthy downtown trees.

The Downtown Street Tree Replacement Project is part of a number of efforts to improve the downtown streetscape including sidewalk repairs, the replacement of mechanical parking meters with electronic parking kiosks and improved lighting and street furniture.

The sidewalk on the north side of East Magnolia Avenue between Gay Street and Little Italy restaurant currently slopes from building fronts to the curb, which is not in keeping with ADA standards. Once work begins on street light replacement and parking kiosk installation, the City will bring portions of sidewalks affected by construction into compliance with ADA standards, improving accessibility for all downtown visitors.

The City plans to make sidewalks compliant with ADA accessibility standards by creating two levels of sidewalk on Magnolia Avenue between Gay Street and Little Italy restaurant. In order to have a required 5-foot unobstructed pathway on the sidewalk, trees in this area must be removed.

Commercial developments have assisted with the sidewalk plans and have covered the cost of the enhancements in front of their establishments. Taco Mama installed a two-level sidewalk during its construction, and the soon-to-be Skyline Café plans to do the same, reducing costs to be incurred by the City.

Though trees have been and will be removed in the process, new trees will be planted in the future. All recent and future commercial developments along East Magnolia Avenue have and will accommodate space for future trees.

More work to be done

As existing trees grow, the City will continue to work with the Tree Commission and Auburn University to monitor their condition and the effectiveness of the silva-cell technology. Overall, healthy trees throughout Auburn are an important part of the quality of life for Auburn residents.

Downtown Auburn is the center of Auburn for shopping, entertainment, activities and celebration. The Downtown Street Tree Replacement Project is part of a larger mission to improve the downtown streetscape for all to enjoy.