Timber? Council Delays Final Decision on Bollinger Canyon Trees

The City Council decided to not make a final decision on the fate of the sycamore trees that breakup west and eastbound Bollinger Canyon Road between Alcosta Boulevard and Canyon Lakes Drive, the Contra Costa Times reports.

The council did decide to approve a plan to install a cement barrier on the eastbound side of the road.

A number of accidents have occurred on the short stretch of road, with eight cars crashing into a fence that separates the road from the sidewalk since May 2010.

In June, a in the Bollinger Canyon Road and Canyon View Circle intersection.

In an attempt to make the road more safe, the council approved a plan to widen the road in March. But that plan called for the city to rip out the 85 sycamore trees, and many residents said they were against the axing of the trees.

The council backed away from the plan, and the topic was discussed again Tuesday at the  with about 100 people at the meeting.

"Bottom line is don't touch our trees," the Times quoted former mayor Abram Wilson saying to the council.

The current mayor, Bill Clarkson said at the meeting, "That road right now is unsafe...All those trees are not worth one life."

City staff has put together five options for the road:

1. Widen the road and remove all the trees. (Cost $1.1 million)
2. Transplant the trees and put 64 of them back after the widening is complete. (Cost $1.5 million)
3. Remove half the trees and widen the road by 18 inches and install a cement barrier. (Cost $2.1 million)
4. Relocate the sidewalk to the north side, remove thirty trees, but the median of sycamores will remain (Cost 2.9 million)
5. Widen the road into the neighborhood golf course. No tree will be removed. (Cost: $3 million)

What do you think should be done about the sycamore trees on Bollinger Canyon Road? What's the best option? Tell us in the comments section.

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