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Concerns Raised over Downtown Median in Madison

As residents adjust to the new look of the downtown area, a few eyebrows are being raised over the appearance of the new center median, in particular, the plantings. While the plants were selected by a landscape architecture firm, local gardeners have questioned the wisdom of the choices.

The new median divides the Post Road in the center of town and was a part of Phase I of the recently completed Downtown Center Project. Phase I, which began in fall 2015, included renovations of the sidewalks and the center median. Additionally, new light poles, tree grates, and bike racks were installed above new underground utilities and irrigation.

The median was widened and now includes a series of plantings. First Selectman Tom Banisch said the town used a landscape architect, Milone & MacBroom Inc., for all of the project plantings.

“We have a landscape architect who has been consulting on the project for all of the trees and plantings,” he said. “The company that planted them gave us a one-year warranty. They are responsible for everything for the first year.”

While the plants aren’t the town’s responsibility for the first year, some residents have expressed concern over the appearance of the plantings, including Garden Club of Madison (GCM) President Barbara Rosenblum.

“I think we would have suggested other items and actually not so much planting, maybe more paving and planters scattered along the median, because I am personally concerned about the effects of weather, especially in the winter with the salt and snow and the reflective heat and emissions from vehicles during the summer,” she said. “The plantings are also close to the [road] edges and that is not terribly good.”

GCM manages and maintains several gardens around town including the Allis Bushnell garden, the Deacon John Graves garden, the East Wharf Seaside garden, and the Veterans Memorial garden. Rosenblum said the GCM was not involved with the median plantings, but she has some concerns over the plants’ longevity.

“Time will tell if the present plantings will work,” she said. “They don’t look too happy right now because they also planted in the fall whereas many of those plantings really should be spring planted...It is better to plant those things when they are young and just starting to develop.”

Regardless, Rosenblum said the town will have a significant maintenance task once the warranty expires.

“Most of those plantings need pruning or cutting and constant supervision,” she said. “They will figure it out, but I am just surprised that there are so many because some of them are crowded as well. They have spirea that is very closely planted and that is not good for the individual plants.”

Banisch said the town is currently developing a plan for future maintenance once the responsibility is turned over to the town.

“The only question is do we do it ourselves or do we hire somebody to do it,” he said.