Tree's roots destroying sidewalk.

[fuumarumota]

Hi guys,

I've seen several big ficus trees that are lifting the sidewalk concrete with their roots around my neighborhood. Admins say that they're going to cut those tree's roots off and re-pave the sidewalk. Do you think trees will still be able to live after that big chunks of roots are removed from them? Do you think there's an alternative solution?

 

[Chuck]

Hi guys,

I've seen several big ficus trees that are lifting the sidewalk concrete with their roots around my neighborhood. Admins say that they're going to cut those tree's roots off and re-pave the sidewalk. Do you think trees will still be able to live after that big chunks of roots are removed from them? Do you think there's an alternative solution?

The trees will survive. Those roots doing the damage are only a small portion of them. There are 2 alternatives. Remove the trees completely or re-route the sidewalk

 

[amelia88]

We are having the same issue here locally - and they're just cutting down trees because their roots are getting under sidewalks with the potential to get under people's homes, I guess. It's so sad though, because a few of the trees that are marked to be cut down are beautiful, established cherry trees that have been there for who knows how long.

 

[Corzhens]

Our village is well known for the big trees that dot the roadsides. However, the downside is the big roots of the big trees that ruin the sidewalk concrete. Most of the sidewalks here are destroyed by the big roots particularly in our main road where the trees are mostly 50 years old at least. Our neighbor which is adjacent to our house, has 2 big cotton fruit trees that are lifting the concrete on their sidewalk. He was asking us on what to do about it.

 

[IcyBC]

I had one big tree that lift up the sidewalk, and the city came to say that I had to pay for them to fix the sidewalk since it is dangerous for pedestrians. The tree is huge and it has been around for years.

 

[Daren]

Well I recon People should lift up there feet a little. Its not hard. Uneven paths are good for improving balance. If your old and or disabled I'm sure a good citizen would help. The world was never meant to be flat

 

[Chuck]

Well I recon People should lift up there feet a little. Its not hard. Uneven paths are good for improving balance. If your old and or disabled I'm sure a good citizen would help. The world was never meant to be flat

What you say is true, but it seems as though a lot of people think the world is flat.

 

[Kansas Terri]

The trees will probably survive. he only risk is if disease organisms enter through the cut surfaces before they heal over. I am glad that they are trying to save the trees!

My folks had a "sunburst locust" that was over 30 feet high. Every spring when it put out new growth it turned the most incredible shade of golden yellow! It was one of the most magnificent trees I had ever seen! Alas, my folks had planted it next their house because this variety of a sunburst locust is only supposed to grow 12 feet high, and it took hard pruning to keep this tree down to 30 feet high. When the roots started lifting the foundation of the house they had it taken out.

https://images.search.yahoo.com/ima...aram1=4258082&param2=323798&param4=1263605008

http://www.swagbucks.com/?t=i&q=sunburst+locust

 

[Kansas Terri]

Well I recon People should lift up there feet a little. Its not hard. Uneven paths are good for improving balance. If your old and or disabled I'm sure a good citizen would help. The world was never meant to be flat

When I fall, I cannot catch myself. My reaction time has slowed, alas. It is my face that hits the pavement.

Now it is true that the world was never meant to be flat, but folks do not always look at the ground when they expect that PART of the world to be flat, and so us no longer strong people can fall there. So I will have to disagree with you there!

 

[Ginnie]

Our village is well known for the big trees that dot the roadsides. However, the downside is the big roots of the big trees that ruin the sidewalk concrete. Most of the sidewalks here are destroyed by the big roots particularly in our main road where the trees are mostly 50 years old at least. Our neighbor which is adjacent to our house, has 2 big cotton fruit trees that are lifting the concrete on their sidewalk. He was asking us on what to do about it.

We had two large cottonwoods that were destroying lawn as well as concrete- had trees removed

 

[Ginnie]

Had to remove two large cottonwoods destroying lawn and concrete

 

[Marck]

Hi guys,

I've seen several big ficus trees that are lifting the sidewalk concrete with their roots around my neighborhood. Admins say that they're going to cut those tree's roots off and re-pave the sidewalk. Do you think trees will still be able to live after that big chunks of roots are removed from them? Do you think there's an alternative solution?

The trees might survive, but removing large roots, especially anywhere near the trunk, can be very traumatic and destabilizing to a tree. One alternative would be to reroute the sidewalk, if there was room to do so. another option is to build a level bridge over the roots and sidewalk. Such a bridge could be made of wood or metal and built with accessible ramps at each end. However, whether such construction would be both allowed and funded on a public street seems unlikely.