More than a dozen trees lining a block of Little Rock's Main Street were removed Sunday as part of the city's Creative Corridor project.
Nineteen trees were removed on Main Street between Capitol Avenue and Sixth Street on Sunday morning to minimize any disruption to pedestrians and vehicle traffic, city Public Works Director Jon Honeywell said. The contractor is slated to begin construction in that block in early December, but an exact date of when the trees that will replace them may be replanted was unknown, he said.
As part of the Main Street Creative Corridor project, the city plans to improve water runoff and the aesthetics of the street in the 100-500 blocks. For the 500 block, the city has planned the installation of bioswale rain gardens, of porous pavement in parking areas, of sidewalk pavers, of boardwalks and of new landscaping, Honeywell said.
The new trees will include eight Armstrong maples on the east side of the block and 19 Allee elms on the west side.
The entire water runoff project has been estimated to cost $1.6 million, but is funded mostly by a $900,000 Environmental Protection Agency grant.
Metro on 11/21/2014