A BETTER STREET WITH TREES

Image: Strong Towns

Trees create an aesthetically pleasing environment, and when grown along streets, benefit both motorists and pedestrians.

A long straight line of street trees will create a visual vertical wall that guides traffic. Multiple studies from municipal transportation authorities have found people slow down while driving through a tree-lined street. Street trees also contribute to safety by creating a physical barrier between pedestrians and vehicles.

In his classic book, Great Streets, Allan B. Jacobs wrote, “… for many people trees are the most important single characteristic of a good street.” Whether a busy commercial strip, a downtown area with skyscrapers, or a quiet residential cul de sac, trees can add both beauty and function. Trees make any street a better street. (Arbor Day Foundation)

Plant trees by the street – and see the difference. The picture shows a street in the city of Portland, Oregon in the US before and after trees are grown on its sidewalks.