Recently a driver in Fremont expressed real concern about overgrown traffic circle vegetation. He said that if he hadn’t been driving really slowly and cautiously around one of the circles, he’d have hit a pedestrian who was fully hidden by the rampant growth on the
circle. We went out to take a look. Top photo–a very dangerous planting gone wild at N41st and Woodland Park N…runner completely hidden and in danger from vehicle rounding the circle from where the photographer is standing. Center–a reasonable and safe circle. Bottom–becoming dangerous.
You can report graffiti and traffic circle vegetation issues to the Customer Service Bureau: http://www.seattle.gov/customer-service-bureau “You can fill out an online form or even download the find-it-fix-it app for your phone. All service requests are screened by the CSB and forwarded to the appropriate agency like SPU for graffiti or SDOT for the traffic circles, and sometimes even the Law Department depending on the issue,” according to Brendan Brophy, Precinct Liaison Attorney, North Precinct, Seattle
IMO, the best solution is for a neighbor or group of neighbors to “adopt” the circle and make the vegetation work for both aesthetics and safety. Clearly (bad pun) it is better to have the main tree or trees have a bare stem with greenery at least 6 feet up, and lower plantings for color. It looks to me like there might be one tree on the right side of the top photo that could be revealed with removal of the underbrush. It also helps the tree to grow up and out not to have so much competition.
If concerned neighbors don’t cut back the overgrown vegetation, I believe there is a risk the city will come in and pave the circle. Ugly.
That’s why we included pic of a well-tended circle. Perhaps neighbors near such circles will take a hand and do some trimming.