Collins Road – Interstate 295, Jacksonville Florida

Initially, the contractor planted and braced 23 Medjool Date Palm Trees with the traditionally used 2x4s. However, a few weeks after their installation, the contractor decided to use Gripple Palm Bracing Kits to reinforce the palms because the trees were already leaning due to high wind and storms that passed through after planting. Gripple Palm Bracing Kits were installed to straighten the trees and keep them stable for the duration of their maturation in the new soil. This process usually takes 6-12 months.

Twenty-three Medjool Date Palms were braced along the newly constructed Highway 295/Collins Road ramp system. As the Gripple systems were installed and tightened, the 2x4s formerly bracing the trees, became loose and unstable, rendering them obsolete. Since Gripple Palm Bracing Kits were installed, Jacksonville has been hit with severe weather producing winds in excess of 50mph. After the storms have torn through the region, the trees remain vertical and stable.

The contractor was pleasantly surprised with how quickly the Gripple Palm Bracing Kit was installed and the versatility of the Gripple product which allowed the trees to be straightened without the use of heavy machinery. A crew of three began work at 9am and finished bracing all 23 trees by one o’clock. In comparison to the 2×4 bracing method, an entire day would have been necessary for installation.

With Gripple Palm Bracing Kits, 23 Medjool Date Palms were stabilized in half a day instead of a full day. The time savings, ease of installation, and proven storm performance made it the clear choice over traditional bracing.