New tree canopy coming to Riverside and Avondale
Forty-three new trees will soon grace Riverside and St. Johns avenues (State Road 211). The FDOT is currently preparing the roadway for the addition of new trees and the removal of some Pindo Palms that are either aged out, rotting or diseased, according to FDOT.
“Recent collaboration between the FDOT, JEA, Council member Randy DeFoor, Pamela Telis [Boone Park South], Scenic Jacksonville, the Duval County urban forester and Riverside Avondale Preservation [RAP], has resulted in a plan to remove/replace aged-out trees and infill where trees have already been lost,” said Brooks Andrews, chair of RAP’s Board of Directors.
The original plan called for the planting of mostly crape myrtles. RAP and the arborists requested a more diverse set of trees along the roadway, and FDOT revised its plan to increase the types of trees planted.
The new plantings will have a variety of different species including three Chinese fringetrees, six dahoon hollys, eight crape myrtles, eight saucer magnolias, eight olive trees, seven live oaks and three chastetrees.
“Council member DeFoor was very helpful in getting FDOT, the COJ arborists and RAP together to talk through how we could have a more diverse set of trees instead of just a row of Crape Myrtles,” said Warren Jones, RAP executive director. “St. Johns and Riverside avenues are beautiful roads due to the tree canopy and the incredible historic architecture on most of the road.”
According to Brooks, the project should move quickly, but there will be some disruption to traffic and parking for a couple of weeks.
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