More than 50 trees lining President Clinton Avenue will be removed after multiple trees started to die, officials said.
Work to replace the autumn flame maple trees along President Clinton Avenue could cause minor traffic disruption, the City of Little Rock Parks and Recreation Department announced Thursday. The project will begin Sunday.
The 57 trees were originally planted in 1997, as part of a River Market beautification project. However, it was later determined that the trees are susceptible to sunscald, a condition that splits the bark of the tree, leaving it exposed to insects and disease, a news release said.
Currently, 23 trees are dead or dying; 18 have been recently replaced; eight tree wells remain empty; and eight trees are healthy.
“After consultation and much deliberation, it was determined by the city Parks Department and the River Market Design Review Committee that the maple trees will be replaced with presidential gold ginkgo trees,” said John Eckart, parks and recreation department director.
The work will happen daily beginning at midnight and ending at 6 a.m. until all the trees have been replaced. Bemis Tree Farm of Little Rock won the bid to do the work with a contract award of $40,200, Eckart said.