Trees coming down for Mercer Corridor project

140 trees will soon be torn down as part of the Mercer Corridor Improvement Project.  The folks over at Publicola report many of the trees are in the direct right-of-way that will become the new two-way Mercer Street.  SDOT tells Publicola that the rest of the trees could pose a danger to construction crews.   SDOT will replace those tree with 280 new ones, but a spokesman couldn’t tell Publicola how many of the trees being torn down are mature trees.  SDOT also plans to put in shrubs and a rain garden.

The project is estimated to cost $295 million. It will widen Mercer Street to become a two-way boulevard, reconstruct Valley Street for local access, improve transit connections, install bicycle lanes and widen sidewalks. Read more on the Mercer Corridor project here.