New trees on Arthur Kill Rd. removed for street widening – SILive.com

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Two dozen trees have started to be removed along a stretch of Arthur Kill Road to facilitate a street widening project, despite eight of the trees being planted within the past few years.

In 2015, the city announced a $15 million project to expand Arthur Kill Road, between Richmond Avenue and Clarke Avenue. Despite public knowledge of the project, the city Parks Department elected to plant eight new trees in the area, knowing they would need to be removed once the street widening began.

Parks planted eight trees within the DOT project zone along Arthur Kill Road after the official announcement to expand the street in 2015. We acknowledge that the planting of these trees was ill-timed, said Parks spokesperson Charisse Hill.

During an assessment of the project area in March, the Parks Department identified a total of two dozen trees that were deemed viable for transplanting or warranting removal, none of which would require any restitution or replacement fees.

Eight of the 24 trees within the project zone were deemed viable for transplanting, six of which have already been moved, and two of which are scheduled for transplant this season, according to NYC Parks.

The other 16 trees, which were not viable for transplant, will be subject to condition-based removals.

All other trees located within the project zone not planted by NYC Parks will be assessed as part of the standard design process, Hill added.

Though construction of the project isnt scheduled until summer 2021, residents have already noticed crews starting to remove the trees, leading some to wonder why the eight new trees were planted in the first place if they were to be removed for the road widening so shortly after.

I was so upset because they just planted these trees about a year and a half ago and they were thriving, said resident Diane Cappella. I wake up that morning [Nov. 26] and I see all these guys pulling up the trees."

I yelled out, Why are you taking my tree away? I was so upset," recalled Cappella. Part of my frustration is the poor planning. They just waste our money.

ABOUT THE PROJECT

The project will increase the amount of vehicle travel lanes and provide shared use paths for bicyclists and pedestrians throughout much of the road, while also installing medians to separate oncoming traffic. Utility planting strips will also be installed along much of the project area.

Due to the winding nature of the 1.5-mile stretch, the roadway will be redesigned in eight segments, with each receiving slightly different treatments based off existing conditions and available space.

The main issues spurring the widening are roadway congestion, resulting in delays associated with volume and left-hand turns, roadway flooding, due to low-lying intersections and existing storm sewers, aging cast iron water mains and sub-par pedestrian accommodations, due to non-ADA compliance.

The DDC expects construction on the project to begin in the summer of 2021. However, because the project is still in the design phase, the agency is unsure how long construction will last.

Click here for an in-depth look at the planned redesign for each of the eight roadway segments.

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New trees on Arthur Kill Rd. removed for street widening - SILive.com