Sewickley tree removal plan riles residents

A road project that would call for 33 trees to be removed from Centennial Avenue in Sewickley has drawn objections from residents.

Borough officials were scheduled to meet this week with residents of Centennial Avenue from Blackburn Road to Boundary Street and residents of Cochran Street from Beaver Street to Nevin Avenue to discuss the project. A petition to keep the trees, including London planes and sycamores, has been signed by more than 150 residents.

Nadja Jones, who has lived on Centennial Avenue with her husband, Mark, for about three years, said residents initially were unaware that the road project called for the trees to be removed.

These are huge. They're gorgeous. They're part of the community. They are the community, Nadja Jones said.

The project includes road paving and sidewalk and curb repairs. Borough manager Kevin Flannery said borough officials have been working to stay on a roadwork schedule. He said the borough arborist said if the curbs are to be replaced, the trees must be removed.

Trees would be replanted as part of the project.

If the residents don't want the trees touched, then we're not going to be able to do the curbs and the sidewalks, Flannery said.

Mark Jones said he would be happy if only the road were paved. He said he wished there were better communication between borough officials and residents on what the plan was for their street.

There's no way that residents, as busy as everybody is, can go to all the meetings to ensure that nothing is going to happen in their neighborhood, Jones said.

Flannery said officials would try to communication and possibly begin the roadwork process earlier in the year. He said sidewalks are the property owners' responsibility.

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Sewickley tree removal plan riles residents