West Seattle trees: Jacobsen Road removal; Seaview arrival

December 3, 2012 at 4:29 pm | In Environment, Safety, West Seattle news | 13 Comments

In case you missed the Seattle Parks announcement on Friday – tree removal is under way along Jacobsen Road (uphill from Beach Drive); Parks says more than 20 alder trees that are in bad shape are being taken down by contractor Asplundh. En route to check on that work, we happened onto another area where trees were being planted:

That was the scene along SW Graham in Seaview this afternoon – not far from the neighborhood project mentioned here back in October; we’re checking to see if it’s related.

13 Comments

  1. WSB, is there any concern that by taking down the trees that there might be slide issues?

    Comment by Junction mom — 4:59 pm December 3, 2012 #

  2. I would like to think that Parks has balanced any such risk with the risk of a slide happening with a weakened tree IN it … I don’t think it’s a clear cut. But we’ll see when they’re done…

    Comment by WSB — 5:37 pm December 3, 2012 #

  3. The tree removal story had me on the edge of my seat.

    Comment by Benton — 5:58 pm December 3, 2012 #

  4. There is always a risk of a slide on that slope. I am certain parks has balanced that. I would rather there be a slide, without the trees, than with them. Walk down Jacobsen. These are steep hills with sandy layers with roads cut into them.

    I would be hesitant to walk under those trees during, or after, a rain soaked windstorm…

    Comment by Flickertail — 6:21 pm December 3, 2012 #

  5. FIREWOOD

    Comment by Wood Whore — 6:59 pm December 3, 2012 #

  6. what happens to the cut wood?

    Comment by sc — 7:24 pm December 3, 2012 #

  7. Graham street looks better already, I hope that a couple of the tree owners will water the trees this time, for three of these houses this is their second round of trees on the city!

    Comment by Silly Goose — 7:39 pm December 3, 2012 #

  8. I’m glad they are being taken down … it’s scary driving up or down that road when it’s windy and rainy! I keep thinking “well one of these days, they dead trees will come down, hope I’m not under them”!

    Comment by rmp — 7:44 pm December 3, 2012 #

  9. Shortsighted. Cutting the trees will erode the ability of the soil to hold water. All that topsoil slides off the slick clay underneath, lubricated by spring water.

    There already have been numerous landslides at that very location.

    Comment by G — 9:28 pm December 3, 2012 #

  10. Silly Goose – The new trees going in on Graham are part of an SDOT Urban Forestry program (http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/btg_streettrees.htm). As part of the project, the trees are to be maintained (including water) by the city for the first three years so they can become “established.”

    Comment by JAC — 10:48 pm December 3, 2012 #

  11. Alders only live for 20 years, then they fall. I wonder if new plantings are in the plan.

    Comment by J — 11:55 pm December 3, 2012 #

  12. Most of the tree cutting is in the 2009 addition to the park.
    .
    http://www.seattle.gov/parks/proparks/projects/me-kwa-mooks.htm
    .

    Comment by Lura Ercolano — 8:59 am December 4, 2012 #

  13. And it’s right along the road – just traveled through there and Jacobsen Road is down to one lane, with flagger, at least currently.

    Comment by WSB — 9:45 am December 4, 2012 #

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