Summit Avenue was designed as a park-like boulevard. Today over 1000 mature trees provide shade and beauty that residents and visitors cherish. Previous elevated bike path projects conducted by the city have destroyed most of the trees as construction practices gouge and cut tree roots or the crew cuts down any tree in its way.

Independent arborists say the City’s methods for calculating tree loss are flawed and do not follow standard evaluations. The City only used one measure – distance of trees from the curb. The city did not account for the negative tree impact related to construction activity rebuilding sidewalks, driveways, and carriage walks, putting construction activity on all four sides of every boulevard tree. Because the new design will cover existing storm drains and catch basins, large excavations at these points will further damage tree root systems.

Relocating curbs will further produce damaging construction activity. Trail transitions alone, proposed for every corner, will kill approx. 96 trees.

The city’s bike trail plan shows the trail will cut into the grass boulevard by 3 feet on both sides for over 62% of the length of the avenue.