The city is sprucing up Counterbalance Park (no pun intended).

Over the last week nine new trees have appeared at the gravel and concrete laden ‘urban park,’ most of which have yet to be planted.

The new trees make me wonder if we should trade in some of that gravel for fresh grass? What do you think?

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.

The street parking from the corner of Queen Anne Ave N and Howe St. to 1900 Queen Anne Ave N. is entirely blocked off today due to SDOT workers, who repaved the area a couple of weeks ago, and are now working to remove and replant tress along the sidewalk.

Although the sidewalk is clear for pedestrians to pass through, parking along this stretch will be blocked off until midnight tonight.