Burlingame trees to be replaced

Many of the eucalyptus trees along the historical grove that lines El Camino Real in Burlingame will be removed but city officials and Caltrans are committed to replanting the ones that need to be removed.

The tree removal is a part of a larger project, the El Camino Real Renewal, which Mayor Michael Brownrigg said aims to create a safer road for pedestrians, cyclists, motorists and nearby residents while preserving the historic tree canopy. However, Caltrans plans on planting around two to three times more trees than it would in other circumstances.

“You don’t plant a tree for yourself, you plant it for your kids and grandkids,” Brownrigg said.

It is unsafe to pull one or two trees from the grove because they rely on each other, Brownrigg added.

“It only puts more stress on the remaining trees,” Brownrigg said.

One of the larger issues besides the size of the trees, their age and their questionable health is the sidewalk has become dangerous because the roots have pushed up the curb and made it uneven in some areas. Caltrans is concerned large trees on the corners of the street create blind spots for drivers, making it dangerous. While the removal of any of the trees is controversial because the trees were listed on the National Register of Historical Places in 2012, Brownrigg is hopeful the community will see the bigger picture with an open mind.

“If we want a tree-lined canopy on El Camino Real, we need to replant and it can’t be the blue gum eucalyptus trees that are massive and drop a lot of bark,” Brownrigg said.

The original tree grove was planted by master gardener John McLaren sometime around 1875 when he planted elm and eucalyptus trees, according to the Burlingame Historic Society website. Brownrigg said the elm trees died in the 1930s from Dutch elm disease. Replanting the trees means bringing back the combination of both elms and eucalyptus although the future varieties are still uncertain.

Caltrans seems to understand the worries the residents have after holding an interactive tree workshop on Feb. 9. Tree advocate Jennifer Pfaff said she loves the eucalyptus grove and her anxiety about removing some was eased after the workshop.

Caltrans, seems to be putting forth effort to retain the character of the grove, she said. Additionally, they plan to salvage some of the wood from the removed trees by making benches with them, she added.

The workshop highlighted tree location and spacing as it relates to sight distance for drivers. Trees closer to the curb need to have significant spacing and smaller trunks to avoid blocking the view for drivers. Caltrans plans to create a meandering sidewalk that will wedge the tree rows between the street and pedestrians walking paths until the block approaches the corner. There it will switch creating greater view sights for drivers and pedestrians. Additionally, there will be a cagelike structure underneath the sidewalk that will reinforce the pavement from settling and allow the roots of trees to weave through freely, according to the presentation.

Other pieces of the road renewal include the sidewalks that do not currently meet ADA standards, local drainage and flooding issues, and crosswalks that need upgrades at 16 different intersections for the 3-mile stretch from East Santa Inez Avenue to Millbrae Avenue.

Additionally, Caltrans introduced bioretention planters that are used to capture and treat stormwater. This helps with stormwater runoff alleviating localized flooding, an issue along El Camino Real.

Lastly, Brownrigg said the council is committed to undergrounding utilities, however, the funding and budget is still up in the air. Next steps for the renewal project is to move from theoretical plans to actual block-by-block renderings, Brownrigg said.

“Much of it will be uncontroversial and some will,” Brownrigg said.

The design phase is set to be completed by 2024, the same year construction is scheduled to begin. Completion is estimated by 2026.