The first of more than 100 trees within the Abercorn Street median are going to be planted Tuesday.
Work will begin in the median between White Bluff Road and Montgomery Cross Road.
City Park and Tree employees have been removing old, dead vegetation and getting a site ready between DeRenne and Tibet avenues, which will host dozens of crape myrtles.
The first phase will concentrate in the Harmon Canal area south of Montgomery.
Work will not begin yet farther south near the Truman Parkway connection, said Park and Tree Director Jerry Flemming, because it is still a work zone controlled by the state Department of Transportation.
The city does have long-range plans to add trees once it is no longer under state supervision.
The lack of trees in south Savannah has been a sore point for some city officials, with Alderman Tony Thomas often leading the call for more trees and landscaping.
"I'm delighted were doing some plantings in some areas that have lacked them for so long," he said. "There's no reason there should be a divide at DeRenne Avenue in the way medians are maintained."
Each tree, including installation and the first year's maitenance, will cost about $250, Flemming said.
Because Abercorn is a high-traffic, high-speed median, Flemming asked motorists to use extra caution this week as workers are installing trees in the median.