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Trees and red sidewalks were a key element of downtown beautification in the 1990s. The City of Powell is learning that tree growth, over time, can pose some headaches.
In two different downtown …
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Trees and red sidewalks were a key element of downtown beautification in the 1990s. The City of Powell is learning that tree growth, over time, can pose some headaches.
In two different downtown locations, city crews are removing trees where root growth has caused significant heaving in the sidewalk. The sites are in the block of 100 West First Street, adjacent to the UPS Store, and in the 100 block of East Second Street, next to the Darrah Law Offices.
The city is concerned that the buckling of the sidewalks poses a safety hazard, said Ben Hubbard, public works director. Portions of the sidewalk have heaved more than 2 inches above grade.
Two trees will be removed in front of UPS and one tree in front of Darrah Law, Hubbard said. The trees (two ash and a locust) have been topped and will be left about 6 feet off the ground temporarily as a safety measure — “no shin banging or tripping,” Hubbard said.
“We do not have plans to replace those trees,” Hubbard added.
The existing uneven sidewalk will be milled soon to level the surface and make foot traffic safer.
New sidewalk to replicate the red and gray will go in next spring — about 58 feet of sidewalk in front of UPS and about 25 feet of sidewalk in front of Darrah Law. The plan is to space the tooled joints in the red sidewalk approximately 4 feet apart rather than the existing 18-inch squares.
Tree root growth is a problem in other areas of the red sidewalk downtown, Hubbard said, “but not to the extent as in front of UPS and Darrah Law.”
“The original plan in 1994, as I understand it, was to remove and replace those trees every 15 years or so,” Hubbard noted.
“These offenders,” he said of the three trees being removed, “have been in place since then, and we are now seeing the consequences.”
A more proactive tree replacement program is contemplated, the public works director indicated. But trees will remain a feature of Powell’s downtown.
“Our intent is to head off further damage in all red sidewalk areas by removing trees,” Hubbard said. “I believe most trees will be replaced as they add a nice character to downtown Powell.”
— Dave Bonner
