Georgia DOT alters design to minimize impacts to tree; Atlanta, GA

SANDY SPRINGS WATER OAK: Nature wins one | ajc.com

By Mary Macdonald
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 06/26/08
A tree in Sandy Springs that took root in the Great Depression will live to see an even riper old age.
The now massive water oak, on Abernathy Road, will be protected when a road expansion project begins this fall.
The state Department of Transportation has agreed to some design changes to help the tree survive, including moving the new sidewalk slightly and using a porous material for the road shoulder, a state spokesman said.
Both steps should help protect the 75-year-old tree by allowing more water and oxygen to reach its roots, said Michael Barnett, an arborist with the city of Sandy Springs. A fence will also be installed around the tree, to protect it from heavy construction equipment.