Roots making sidewalk heave

tanglehorn

tanglehorn

Hi, I'm posting to get input on how to mitigate the issue of heaving sidewalks, which can make wheelchair travel difficult. I was told by a customer that the city wants her to have at least 3' of solid concrete sidewalk. The buttress roots on a sugar maple have made their way a third of the way into the sidewalk path(the sidewalk is already cut for the tree and heaving). This still leaves her the 3 feet needed. I imagine that a good cement person could just make a new pad that was thinner to accommodate the heave in this minor example of heave. I know these old trees seem to survive anything but they cannot be saved when the city puts an X on them.

This brings me to the next problem. Our city calls itself a tree city. I guess that means they like trees. Every year a new 15 big old trees are removed, and it seems many times its because of nasty sidewalk heave.

Does anybody have any suggestions on fixing the problem of bad sidewalk heave with new sidewalk instead of removing 44" DBH Ash trees?
 
I have a cypress tree in my yard that has pushed and flared out over the sidewalk about 6". I wanna bust out the sidewalk and I'm a worried about the effects that may have on the root flare when I remove the concrete out from under it.

Also, relocating the sidewalk or any of the other options in that PowerPoint are not possible for it's situation with the knees everywhere. This is a big old tree. Any other ideas? Packed aggregates? What is this?
 
I would also be worried about the effects that may have on the root flare when I remove the concrete out from under it--so why do it?

Packed aggregate is gravel.
 
Thanks for responding. I want to remove the concrete so the tree will have room to grow. Wouldn't a piece of concrete the tree is growing over be just like a girdling root?
 
Reilman said:
Thanks for responding. I want to remove the concrete so the tree will have room to grow. Wouldn't a piece of concrete the tree is growing over be just like a girdling root?
Click to expand...

Yes it is, except that girdling roots very seldom graft (adhere) to stem tissue, while concrete usually does. If you have several hours, and good skills with hammer and chisel, you could give it a go. If you avoid damaging woody tissue, you might be helping it out by removing compacted bark.

re heaving, the city of raleigh grinds down the edges when the lift is >1/2" (per ADA). It's a very simple process, and it involves internal combustion, which seems to be a big turn-on, so any "Tree City" might want to consider it.

The City of Wilmington didn't know how to manage their old laurel oaks, so they mowed em down and put in cute little baby live oaks. That canopy destruction earned them an award.
 
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