content: Oh I saw this when I checked for more explanation:  Small marks on the road-side of the trunks are not unusual. Almost all trees that are this close to the street have them. It is damage from trailers of semi-trucks grazing the trees. The righternmost tree actually looks split open from the fall. A road crew was already at the scene to put up the warning signs and fill the holes with sand to prevent the pavement from sagging.  Someone there also mentioned the trees were too close to the road to be up to modern codes.