Madison Municipal Building with native purple flowers in planter
Engineering

Robin Greenway and Orchard Drive Culvert

April 29, 2024 Update

Trees and shrubs will be installed this week at Robin Greenway. All plants are native woodland species including shagbark hickory (carya ovata), bitternut hickory (carya cordiformis), serviceberry (amelanchier arborea), ironwood (ostrya virginiana), bladdernut (staphlyea trifolia), buttonbush (cephalanthus occidentalis), and nannyberry (viburnum lentago).

Oaks are currently being treated for oak wilt.  Additional oak plantings will be delayed until oak wilt is no longer present at the site. 

View past project updates »

Project Details

  • Location

    • 4609 Gregg Rd
      Madison, WI 53705

  • Project Type

  • Status

    Completed

  • Estimated Schedule

    –

  • Impact

    Minor

  • Alder District

    • District 11

  • Contract Number

Project Information

Project Overview

The 2023 Capital Budget adopted a Finance Committee Amendment to fund design and construction for work on the Robin Greenway. This budget amendment includes design and construction to replace the culvert at Orchard Street. It also includes restoration work within the drainage way greenspace to address concerns related to erosion, slope stabilization, tree impacts, access, restoration and long term maintenance of this public property. The City recognizes that this space provides multiple benefits to the community as part of our storm infrastructure. The design process will incorporate public engagement to address community concerns related to tree health, access, vegetation while improving the environmental conditions to minimize erosion, address stormwater impacts and manage long-term vegetation goals. It is important to the City that this space is reflective of shared goals to manage urban ecosystems that serve multiple community and environmental benefits.

Staff met with neighborhood volunteers on July 11th to discuss and identify native and invasive species that the neighborhood could assist with removing. Several neighborhood members attended along with City staff and coordinated next steps for removing invasive species to enhance the woodland understory planting.

Phase One work included the construction of storm sewer improvements, vegetated path, and tree removals discussed at PIM 2 and at the site walk through with the neighborhood. This work is complete.

Phase Two  is underway and includes installation of trees, shrubs, native seeding, and ecological restoration to restore native understory plants and establish new woodland plants.

Restoration Photos

  • Bloodroot flower

    Bloodroot (sanguinaria canadensis) blooming at Robin Greenway on 4/10/2024.

  • Trillium flower

    Trillium blooming at Robin Greenway on 4/26/2024

  • Virginian bluebells flower

    Virginia bluebells (mertensia virginica) blooming at Robin Greenway on 4/26/2024.

  • White trout lilies in bloom

    White trout lily (erthyronium albidum) blooming at Robin Greenway on 4/26/2024.

     

Project Schedule

Phase One Construction - Complete 
Phase Two Ecological Restoration - In Progress, maintained by ecological restoration contractor until December 2025

Public Involvement

There are a number of points of contact during this project where the public is encouraged to give feedback as part of public information meetings and public hearings. Dates, times and locations will be posted once determined.

Public Information Meetings

The City held the following meetings:

Below is a summary of public engagement from the Public Information Meetings on March 14th and April 11th.

City Process, Meetings

Mailings

Letter: Robin Greenway Kickoff Meeting and Listening Session Invite
Letter:  Robin Greenway Design Workshop
Letter:  Robin Greenway Start Work

Additional Information

Tree Location Map

Tree Inventory by Tag

Tree Removal Permit Request to City Forestry

Tree Removal Plan

Tree Removal List

Final Design Presented to Community Members on April 11, 2023

Ecological Restoration in Stormwater Ponds and Greenways Story Map

Project Updates

April 29, 2024 Update

Trees and shrubs will be installed this week at Robin Greenway. All plants are native woodland species including shagbark hickory (carya ovata), bitternut hickory (carya cordiformis), serviceberry (amelanchier arborea), ironwood (ostrya virginiana), bladdernut (staphlyea trifolia), buttonbush (cephalanthus occidentalis), and nannyberry (viburnum lentago).

Oaks are currently being treated for oak wilt.  Additional oak plantings will be delayed until oak wilt is no longer present at the site. 

January 23, 2024 Update

This contract has been awarded. Construction will be completed in 2024 as weather allows to accommodate specific mortar requirements required in this contract.

December 4, 2023 Update

Phase One Construction which includes the larger grading, most tree removals, and storm repairs is 99% complete. Contractors will be removing equipment and placing final erosion control matting ad dormant native seed this week. 

Phase Two Construction will begin in January 2024. This includes native woodland and woods edge seeding, planting native trees, shrubs and native sedges, along with ecological maintenance for two years by Field and Stream Ecology. Dead oak trees will be removed this winter while the ground is frozen.  These are required to be removed after October by ordinance to stop the spread of oak wilt.  In addition, the remaining female box elder trees, buckthorn, Norway maple, black locust trees, and very poor condition or dead trees will be removed. These were not removed during this summer’s contract to make sure that more ecologically sensitive areas would be worked on only when the ground was frozen.

August 29, 2023 Update

Project Update

8/29/2023

Phase One construction has begun. During this phase, Orchard Drive at the storm sewer crossing will close for a few days to complete these improvements. During the brief closure, residents will have access to their driveways. Residents will receive a mailing about seven days before work starts in the street notifying them.

Oak wilt has been found at Robin Greenway, the city is taking the following course of action:

Treating three oaks that are healthy with a preventative fungicide

Removing the two existing oak trees that are infected as recommended by the City Forester. Oak wilt has been determined as a public nuisance and removal is codified in MGO 23.40. The trees for removal are 1537 and 1584.

We have asked for Tree Health Management to identify a long term plan for treating and eradicating oak wilt on our property. We don’t know exactly what this looks like, but will update you when we have more information.

We will revise the plans for spring planting to remove oak trees while we treat the existing oak wilt.

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