You may have noticed that some work is being done on the curbs on Lincoln Avenue. It turns out that the tree trenches were designed and specified based on an assumption that we would not be saving our ash trees on Lincoln. Of course, thanks to the effort of many neighbors, many of our ash trees were treated instead of being cut down. Unfortunately, that information did not get back to the designers of the tree trenches and as a result, many trenches were laid down immediately next to existing rescued ash trees.

Of course, the forester has pointed out that since the ashes were saved, no new tree will be planted in that close proximity and new tree trench for a new tree is required. Oops!

This is now being cleaned up. The curb cuts and tree trenches in these locations are being removed, that’s the work in progress right now.

Still to come is modification work on the remaining tree trenches. The model for the new, shallower version of these trenches has been constructed outside 2005 Lincoln, if you want to take a look. That trench has been shallowed and a different soil put on top. Once sod is replaced it should be considerably less steep and easier to mow. If you have feedback on that trench, or other questions about tree trenches on Lincoln, please contact Lisa Falk-Thompson at 651-266-6117.

In addition to the work shallowing the trenches, those that were not draining properly will be reconstructed to properly drain. All this work will be going on over the coming weeks.