SAN FRANCISCO -- After a three-year effort by a San Francisco resident, rubber sidewalks were installed in the city for the first time at 1253 Stanyan St. today.

Various San Francisco environmental groups and politicians including Supervisor Aaron Peskin, the Urban Forest Council, San Francisco Environment, and the SF Tree Council are championing the sidewalks for their environmental benefits. The sidewalks, unlike concrete, do not need to be replaced when uplifted by tree roots and are made from recycled tires.

According to Carolyn Blair, executive director of the SF Tree Council, the sidewalks will save the city money in lawsuit and maintenance costs. Half of all tree-related costs in the city go to settling lawsuits, including suits brought by people who tripped on uprooted sidewalks. Only 1.1 percent actually goes to tree maintenance, reports Blair.

Although made from rubber, the sidewalks look and feel like concrete sidewalks. Those on skateboards or roller skates would not notice a difference rolling from a concrete sidewalk slab to a rubber one, reports Blair.

The sidewalks have already been used in Bay Area cities including Danville, Concord and Alameda, reports Blair.

The sidewalks journey to San Francisco began three years ago when San Francisco resident Louis Blumberg learned that under city law, he had to replace the uprooted concrete sidewalk in front of his house. Since he did not want to cut the trees in front of his home, Blumberg began researching rubber sidewalks, which were being used already in Santa Monica and Long Beach.

Now that the city has the sidewalks, environmentalists are hoping they become the wave of the future.

"I think this could be a model for San Francisco. I'm hopeful that the Department of Public Works and other department will see the benefits of this type of sidewalk," said Alexis Harte, coordinator for the Urban Forest Council.