Glen Ellyn recognizes that a healthy urban forest enhances the shopping, dining, and living experience within the downtown Central Business District (CBD). Prior to the streetscaping, many of the existing trees in the downtown area were in poor planting conditions that limited their growth potential and resulted in declining health. These trees would have needed to be replaced in coming years independent of the streetscaping. The CBD Streetscape and Utility Project has been replacing and upgrading underground utilities as well as making geometric changes to roadways and sidewalks that impact existing trees. The Village of Glen Ellyn has been using this opportunity to upgrade growing conditions and plant a more diverse mix of trees that will thrive and be a lasting benefit for future generations of residents. 

The existing trees grew in poor conditions, and their roots lacked adequate access to soil, air, and water. These conditions contributed to their decline. The existing tree species mix also lacked diversity and included some species that should not be used. New trees can be planted with systems and techniques that provide better access to air, uncompacted planting soil, and water. New trees can be better placed in relation to business entrances, building facades, parking spaces and streetscape geometry. These changes will improve access to businesses and the sidewalk and curb-side space available for public use and placemaking. These improvements cannot be built around existing trees. The new urban forest also features a more diverse mix of species that will provide better resilience to disease and invasive pests, adds variety to the downtown, and eliminates problematic trees that are weak wooded and prone to limb breakage during storms. 

Yes! Prior to the streetscaping, streets like Forest Ave, Glenwood Ave, and Pennsylvania between Main and Forest had no trees. These streets lacked the necessary parkway width to plant trees. A key goal of this project was to reconfigure street geometry to provide more space for sidewalks and trees on those streets.  Other streets also have similar changes that will allow the Village to increase the number of trees where possible.   

Large, healthy trees are a critical component of downtown Glen Ellyn and part of its unique identity. This is why the Village of Glen Ellyn wants to plant a healthy, robust urban forest that will last for generations.  New trees are smaller and need time to grow, but by providing more soil volume and space for growth, we are giving these new trees the best chance to thrive quickly. Most of the new trees are planted in a suspended pavement design that provides access to a large volume of uncompacted soil under the sidewalks. Irrigation systems are being installed to provide access to water. By providing dramatically improved access to soil, air, and water for the urban forest, the growth rates are expected to be faster than the current conditions. Additionally, larger caliper shade trees are being planted in a few key locations to provide a more substantial tree canopy for the first few years.