I would like to thank Mr. Wagner for his support and recent letter regarding the cottonwood tree near East Side Lake and the Oakland Place SE bridge.  I agree with him that our community should make every effort to preserve trees and other natural features.  I must note, however, that Vision 2020 played no role in the decision to remove this particular tree, which was made at the very beginning of the design process for the new bridge and prior to any discussions about widening the sidewalk.

I have confirmed this with both City and County engineering staff, and, based on their expert assessments, the tree would need to be removed anyway to accommodate wider lanes for just the motorized traffic that travels over the bridge every day.  I also know the plans for this project were fully considered and approved by the Austin City Council and Mower County Board of Commissioners.

We can all agree that the safety and comfort of cars, bicyclists, and pedestrians should be the highest priority when constructing a bridge.  Although the potential loss of the tree in question is unfortunate, I take solace in the fact that the City Parks and Recreation Department, along with Spruce Up Austin and others, make tree planting a priority and are working to ensure that Austin will still be filled with green for years to come.

Greg Siems,

Vision 2020 Director