Update on Dayton Ave trees

Tall evergreens line the street on Dayton Ave N, bordering the WSDOT headquarters

By Jamie Holter

For several months, there has been a back-and-forth discussion about the 104 trees slated to be cut as part of the Washington State Department of Transportation building remodel on Dayton Avenue North, just east of Shoreline Community College.

The City-permitted remodel requires WSDOT to build out sidewalks (and also drainage) on Dayton Avenue North, 160th Street and 155th Street. The challenge has been how to meet the requirements of the permit and limit the number of trees cut. The Save our Trees group has been very active in their effort to save as many of the 104 trees as possible. WSDOT, as well, wants to preserve as many trees as possible at the Regional Headquarters.

The news is that the two sides are very close to an agreement that could change the type of sidewalk – away from the traditional concrete sidewalk on Dayton - to a boardwalk-style walkway to preserve the root systems and therefore reduce the number of trees that need to come down.

If the boardwalk concept is approved, it would reduce the number of Dayton trees removed down to 24 – five are dead already. The City, for its part, is comfortable with the boardwalk concept and confirmed it’s just a matter of details to get the project permitted and moving forward.

There are still more sidewalks to be added - 155th Street gets a five-foot sidewalk on the south side with two trees removed and 160th Street would get an eight-foot sidewalk with 30 trees removed.

There is no published timetable for construction.