Here in the Tampa Bay area, we’re constantly thinking of ways to curb gridlock and revamp the way we get around. While something like rail is a ways off (however much many people want it), transit advocates are focusing on the small stuff.
Here’s one option that’s not so obvious: Plant more trees.
No, we’re not talking about commuting via zipline. We’re talking about shade trees.
As part of a survey of the safety of Tampa Bay’s busiest roads, members of the Florida Consumer Action Network walked along thoroughfares in St. Pete and discovered stretches of sidewalk and roads that could stand to benefit from a few towering trees.
Tree-lined pedestrian pathways are obviously appealing for people whose main method of transportation involves their feet. Take the Pinellas Trail, for instance, where scorching heat can be quite oppressive, especially in summer.
But shade trees can also benefit auto traffic.
“Shade not only makes streets more pleasant, it also makes them safer,” said Lisa Frank, a campaign organizer with the St. Pete-based FCAN. “Drivers travel a little more slowly and are more aware of people walking on streets with trees and other structures that help separate the sidewalk from the roadway. Street trees can even improve business — shops on tree-scaped streets have 12 percent higher income streams, partially due to increased shopping traffic from people walking and biking on the street.”
Plus, according to a 2006 study by Dan Burden, a designer with Urban Design, Inc. (the same study that came up with the 12 percent number from Frank’s quote), shade trees are helpful in other ways. They absorb precipitation, which helps reduce runoff; they respirate CO2, which we currently emit into the atmosphere with abandon; and their loveliness substantially improves an area’s aesthetics.
This article appears in May 4-11, 2017.
