Tree Planting Along Houston's Freeways (Dallas, Katy: apartment, neighborhoods, maintenance)

[stoneclaw]

During the last 5 years, there's been alot of tree planting along Houston's freeways. They planted some in the middle of 288 and alongside the eastern edge of the wall barrier between south of downtown and loop 610. I think it looks great. 59 has the moss growing on the trenched part of the wall, there was some plantings on North Freeway, Katy Fwy, and 610E between 288 and I45 has also recently begun tree planting. It's also said that Trees also help reduce the temperment of drivers.

I know its all intended to improve the look of the city, but doesn't it make the city kind of have a rural feel to it to the point where it almost looks boring? I'm more intrigued by urban freeway designs like the Katy Freeway where they have the sound barrier walls which is good for asthetics. The north Central Expwy in Dallas is also another freeway that appears more urban.

Anyway, who thinks the tree plantings in Houston are good? Click on link to see photo of 288 traveling into downtown here below.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/falsecognate/11242567 (broken link)

Send votes please

[LizzySWW]

I love the trees. I'd like to see the live oaks get some love though. On the Beltway from 59 to 10, I see lots of live oaks that are growing funky, but it's nothing that a bit of trimming wouldn't fix.

More trees please!

[travelguy_73]

For those of us who know and tolerate the visual mess that is I-45 inside the beltway, I'm not sure you will find anyone who doesn't like what TXDoT is doing to beautify the freeways. I'm not all that thrilled with their maintenance (or lack-thereof, which is classic TXDoT), but if allowed to mature, the trees are truly an asset.

Sound barrier walls might be OK when they are new (and have no graffiti on them), but they are terrible for the neighborhoods that back up to them as they form an echo chamber of sorts.

Trees are good; more trees are better.

[AK123]

Being that Houston doesn't have hills/mountains, isn't right on the water etc., trees are probably the biggest natural asset. I'd like to see even more.
And I'd like to see more regulations against developers mowing every last tree down when it's not necessary; Harris County is really bad about this.

I'd never say trees make the freeways look "boring and rural", that's ridiculous. Has anyone ever said that about, say, Seattle? It has a very modern, clean and urban look, even with all the trees.

[stoneclaw]

Dang i thought this topic would be more of a topic of discussion. So there's no one who thinks that all the trees ruralizes the area?

[MoeNole23]

I love that they are planting more trees. How could you not like trees?? lol. 10-15 years from now all the pine trees they are planting along the freeways will look really nice.

[jfre81]

I'm all for it where it's feasible, where the roots won't cause major damage to the freeways/roads (those aren't cheap) and where they would not cause a problem in terms of falling into the path of important routes back into the city after a major hurricane. We do get those every once in awhile.

Originally Posted by C2H

So there's no one who thinks that all the trees ruralizes the area?

Not really. Is the Heights or West U. rural?

[blkgiraffe]

Originally Posted by C2H (ComingtoHouston)

During the last 5 years, there's been alot of tree planting along Houston's freeways. They planted some in the middle of 288 and alongside the eastern edge of the wall barrier between south of downtown and loop 610. I think it looks great. 59 has the moss growing on the trenched part of the wall, there was some plantings on North Freeway, Katy Fwy, and 610E between 288 and I45 has also recently begun tree planting. It's also said that Trees also help reduce the temperment of drivers.

I know its all intended to improve the look of the city, but doesn't it make the city kind of have a rural feel to it to the point where it almost looks boring? I'm more intrigued by urban freeway designs like the Katy Freeway where they have the sound barrier walls which is good for asthetics. The north Central Expwy in Dallas is also another freeway that appears more urban.

Anyway, who thinks the tree plantings in Houston are good? Click on link to see photo of 288 traveling into downtown here below.

Houston's downtown skyline #2 on Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/falsecognate/11242567 - broken link)

Send votes please

I don't think it makes the city look rural. It helps hide all the mess everyone keeps complaining about. I know what your talking about though because Atlanta can seem look very isolated and lonely in some places off the highway due to the large amount of trees.

[Maybe So]

More trees, please!

Have you ever driven through Arkansas in the Fall/Winter when there are no leaves? Case and point.....trees and leaves hide lots of sins.

[stoneclaw]

It just seems like the tree planting in north houston (between downtown and outside the beltway) hasn't done enough as far as hiding all the disgusting looking buildings and old apartment hangers. I just think a sound wall with trees planted along side of it would help it appear more new and uniform (look at Katy Freeway). Now down by Broadway and I-45, they need to plant more because the palm trees they tried planting down that way appear to be dying.