Friends of Seattle’s Urban Forest
Urge SDOT to Protect and Increase Tree Canopy in their Transportation Plan Update – Comments end Wed. August 31st
Comments are needed to urge support for protecting and increasing tree canopy in Seattle’s Transportation Plan update. The Transportation Plan update is being done in tandem with Seattle updating it’s One Seattle Comprehensive Plan. The Comprehensive Plan is updated every 10 years to assist Seattle in planning for its growth in people, jobs, and housing over the next 20 years. The Transportation Plan guides the transportation component of the One Seattle Plan update.The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) notes that “Our transportation system is more than just roads. It includes sidewalks, bridges, stairways, transit, paths and trails, bike lanes, crosswalks, public spaces like street cafes and benches, and much more. The transportation system is how everyone moves around the city, connecting us to places and opportunities. But COVID-19, climate change, and rapid population growth make it hard to keep this system running smoothly. That’s why we want to create a sustainable system that works now and in the future.“Missing from their discussion is the role of Seattle’s trees and urban forest in our transportation system. Land devoted to transportation in Seattle is some 23% of the city’s area. It contributes about 22% of the city’s tree canopy. SDOT is responsible for maintaining and growing these trees. Hard pavement like concrete and asphalt in roads and sidewalks absorb heat and create heat domes and heat island impacts that. As seen last year, excessive heat can be deadly. Trees are an important climate resiliency and mitigation factor in reducing heat island impacts by shading streets and sidewalks. Trees transpiring water also create cooling effects. Trees were shown to create as much as a 25-degree Fahrenheit temperature difference in a recent county wide study done by Seattle and King County. Please comment on the Transportation Plan, noting that the trees and urban forest under SDOT’s oversight and responsibility are an important part of Seattle’s transportation system.Go to SDOT’s Seattle Transportation Plan Online Engagement HUB and submit your comments. You can also take their survey.You can also send an e-mail directly to [email protected] with your comments. Your response is due by the end of the day this Wednesday August 31st.Some examples of issues regarding trees to comment on:
Comments are needed to urge support for protecting and increasing tree canopy in Seattle’s Transportation Plan update. The Transportation Plan update is being done in tandem with Seattle updating it’s One Seattle Comprehensive Plan. The Comprehensive Plan is updated every 10 years to assist Seattle in planning for its growth in people, jobs, and housing over the next 20 years. The Transportation Plan guides the transportation component of the One Seattle Plan update.The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) notes that “Our transportation system is more than just roads. It includes sidewalks, bridges, stairways, transit, paths and trails, bike lanes, crosswalks, public spaces like street cafes and benches, and much more. The transportation system is how everyone moves around the city, connecting us to places and opportunities. But COVID-19, climate change, and rapid population growth make it hard to keep this system running smoothly. That’s why we want to create a sustainable system that works now and in the future.“Missing from their discussion is the role of Seattle’s trees and urban forest in our transportation system. Land devoted to transportation in Seattle is some 23% of the city’s area. It contributes about 22% of the city’s tree canopy. SDOT is responsible for maintaining and growing these trees. Hard pavement like concrete and asphalt in roads and sidewalks absorb heat and create heat domes and heat island impacts that. As seen last year, excessive heat can be deadly. Trees are an important climate resiliency and mitigation factor in reducing heat island impacts by shading streets and sidewalks. Trees transpiring water also create cooling effects. Trees were shown to create as much as a 25-degree Fahrenheit temperature difference in a recent county wide study done by Seattle and King County. Please comment on the Transportation Plan, noting that the trees and urban forest under SDOT’s oversight and responsibility are an important part of Seattle’s transportation system.Go to SDOT’s Seattle Transportation Plan Online Engagement HUB and submit your comments. You can also take their survey.You can also send an e-mail directly to [email protected] with your comments. Your response is due by the end of the day this Wednesday August 31st. Some examples of issues regarding trees to comment on:
-
- More trees planted along streets and sidewalks will reduce urban heat island impacts
- Environmental equity and justice require SDOT to plant and maintain more trees in low canopy areas.
- SDOT needs to give priority to protecting existing trees and watering new trees to ensure their survival
- Trees are needed along streets for shade to encourage people walking and help reduce crime.
- Trees are important for both physical and mental health
- Big trees can and need to be planted for more shade on the street side where there are no power lines
- Trees along busy streets will help slow traffic and increase safety for pedestrians
- More trees along streets in shopping areas and urban villages will encourage people to shop locally and help local businesses thrive
- Trees planted along streets in industrial areas are needed to reduce pollution and stormwater runoff
- Consider using more alternative sidewalk repair techniques s like flexible rubber and raised sidewalks to deal with tree roots would save more existing trees
- Trees planted around transit stops would provide shade for people waiting for buses.
- Trees planted along streets where kids walk to school make streets safer
- Creating a street in both north and south Seattle planted with different recommended street trees for people to see will help people choose trees
- Planting more trees along greenways and bike lanes to reduce heat impacts would increase people using them
- Prepare a plan and goal to plant more trees in the right of way for climate resiliency
- Trees help reduce stormwater and pollution runoff.
- Trees help clean the air of pollution
This post first appeared on Friends Of Urban Forests - Protecting Trees And Our Urban Forest Infrastructure, please read the originial post: here
