 |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||
|
|
 |
|
|
||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||
|
|
|
News Article
Westchase District adds trees to Westheimer Concrete esplanades transformed into greenspace The concrete esplanades in the center of Westheimer are being transformed with the addition of trees, shrubs and flowers, courtesy of the Westchase District and the Texas Department of Transportation. "This is a project that will have instant impact," said Westchase District President Jim Murphy. "These 200-gallon trees are 16 feet tall and have a 6-inch trunk girth. Motorists will certainly notice a difference when they drive through the Westchase District on Westheimer." This $421,000 project represents a partnership between the Westchase District and TxDOT. Twenty-eight "planting pockets" have been carved out of the concrete esplanades on Westheimer to accommodate trees and native grasses in those esplanades. The project runs from the east end of the district at Westerland to the west end at Woodland Park. Only the esplanades immediately east and west of Beltway 8 have been excluded to accommodate the future construction of an underpass at that intersection. The district has purchased 48 200-gallon high rise live oaks and 36 bald cypress trees, which will be planted in the Westheimer esplanades. "The live oak and the bald cypress are both good, hearty trees," Murphy said. "They're resistant to temperature changes and water fluctuations, which make them ideal for this environment. They're both new to our Westchase District planting schemes." "Most people are familiar with the bald cypress," said Westchase District Projects Director Irma Hernandez. "But the highrise live oak is a newly propagated tree variety that's only about 7 years old. "It has all the characteristics of Texas' famous live oak tree, but instead of spreading out wide, this tree will grow tall, making it great for urban, high traffic areas." Other plants that will be installed in the esplanades include oriental fountain grass, nearly wild rose, and giant liriope all part of the Westchase District's landscape design theme, which has been used elsewhere in the district. "The Westheimer esplanades will match the look of the esplanades elsewhere throughout the district and the large trees just give them added impact," Murphy said. "This work will improve traffic safety and make our community more attractive & distinctive." Murphy said TxDOT matched the project's funding "dollar-for-dollar." Plus, TxDOT removed the concrete in the esplanades earlier this year when they were constructing the median improvements on Westheimer. "That allowed us to put more dollars into planting," Murphy said. |
|
|
|||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||
