El Camino trees being removed in Burlingame

Caltrans is removing seven trees from the Burlingame stretch of El Camino Real from Sherman and Chapin avenues this week for safety reasons, closing various lanes to accommodate the removal.

Lane closures occurred from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday. Drivers can expect similar closures from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, per a Caltrans traffic advisory. 

In total, 43 storm-impacted trees — including trees that had fallen down — have been removed since last year’s storms, and 10 additional trees will be removed after Friday, Caltrans spokesperson Alejandro Lopez said.

Safety-related tree takedown on El Camino Real is separate from a broader road rehabilitation project in Burlingame that will also touch Hillsborough, San Mateo and Millbrae and remove around 300 trees, Burlingame Public Works Director Syed Murtuza said. 

“In the aftermath of the storms, during an assessment process, trees were identified to be removed due to safety conditions,” Murtuza said, noting Caltrans and the city coordinated with Pacific Gas and Electric to shut down overhead power lines during the removal. “The project of El Camino Real renewal is not related to that project.” 

Design plans for the El Camino Real renewal are in the final phase, Murtuza said, and construction will likely begin in 2025 and take several years. 

“Caltrans is also looking to explore opportunities to issue early packages for construction, early work packages,” he said. “They are exploring where to start the project so they can start earlier.” 

The comprehensive project will aim to address reconstruction of the four-lane road itself, Murtuza said, as well as replacing sidewalks, curbs and gutters, installing new street lighting and crosswalks to address safety issues. 

“In order to fix the road you have to fix the sidewalk. In order to fix the sidewalk — trees have taken over the sidewalk, roots are all over the place. Storm drains are totally infested with roots,” he said. “For people who are making right and left turns and want to cross the street, they can’t really see an oncoming vehicle. It’s dangerous.” 

The tree removal takes place along a stretch of historic eucalyptus grove originally planted by master gardener John McLaren sometime around 1875, according to the Burlingame Historic Society website, and stirred controversy when it was introduced. 

The city worked closely with conservation advocates, Caltrans and Burlingame residents throughout planning stages of the process to ensure the character of the grove would be retained, Murtuza said. 

Jennifer Pfaff, Burlingame Historical Association president and tree advocate, said she was hopeful that the project — particularly the replanting of the elm, elm relative, eucalyptus and eucalyptus relative replacement trees — would be a success. 

“I’m more optimistic than I’ve been in decades about this project, because it’s gone on for so many decades,” she said. 

New tree-planting techniques now allow for trees planted near infrastructure to have deeper root systems with less spread, allowing for less destruction, she said, although the size and age of the replacement trees remains a concern. 

“If they want this to be successful they need to start with a decent size tree,” she said. “There is a prevailing thought that trees do better when they don’t put giant trees in. They do better when they are a good size — not huge. The root system can really grow in its new spot, it can adapt there.” 

The replantation process will not be linear, Murtuza noted, and safety concerns have to be carefully weighed alongside the desire to maintain the fabric of Burlingame’s unique forestry. 

“A lot of analysis is done in terms of where to plant the tree so they don’t become a hazard for safety, visibility,” Murtuza said. “In places where trees can be planted, they’ll plant more trees. In places where they absolutely can’t plant more trees, they go block by block.” 

The city of Burlingame is also taking the opportunity to underground their utilities during the construction. Caltrans is financially responsible for the road reconstruction project, but Burlingame will pay for the undergrounding. 

The city has $18 million in California Public Utilities Commission credits for the project, Murtuza said, which will need to be coordinated with PG&E. Last estimates found the total cost of undergrounding to be around $25 million, although Burlingame doesn’t have a current estimate. 

Fundamentally, undergrounding utilities is an issue of public safety, particularly for fire danger, Murtuza said. 

“It’s a safety issue,” he said. “These lines are overhead, trees over there. It’s the best thing for safety reasons.”