Hayfield Road Pipe Project: 1/24/20 (+1 Maple Tree)

by John Millikin

Yesterday I received an update from Project Manager Dave Anglin; unfortunately one more maple tree (near 7721 Hayfield Road) must be removed; this will occur sometime between January 23 and the middle of February. We know that in a $7,000,000 project that there will be unforeseen surprises like this one. I encourage everyone to read the justifications that Dave provides and to remember the overall significant benefits that this project brings to Hayfield Farm residents.

Here are the justifications that Dave Anglin sent on Wednesday January 22

“Attached are two pictures showing the circumstances regarding this (maple) tree. Below is a summary explanation with more details in the attached picture mark-ups.

The work is not just encroaching some into the critical root zone. With the work required at this location, the open excavation and required trench box will be well within the tree’s drip line. Add the additional space required to prune the roots and this is up to the tree trunk/root crown. So, root pruning will sever the tree’s root system greater than 40 percent. This poses a severe risk that this size tree will not survive the work in the long run.

Additional risks, beyond/addition to the survivability question:

• Immediate – this tree is near an area where problem soils started slumping/collapsing into and ground water was encountered in the open excavation. So, if the supporting soils slough, this poses a risk to project personnel and near-by others/property of immediate tree collapse.
• Long-term – large structural roots will be cut on virtually half the tree. Short of the tree dying, severing major structural supporting roots risks the tree falling in the future during wind events and/or during very wet weather.

Given the design, I now believe this was always unavoidable. I just wish we had foreseen so the information could have been shared earlier.”

Here is the text in the first picture:

“Painted white line marks approximate location of the excavation cut. Another 6″ of excavation is required to accommodate the trench box to support the excavation sides. The root pruning would then be located at least another 18″+ closer to the tree creating another 6″ cut into the soil. This would put the root pruning inside the two stakes on the left above and cutting through the tree’s root crown.”

Here is the text in the second (close-up) picture:

“Painted white line marks approximate location of the excavation cut required for the necessary work. Another 6″ of excavation – beyond the white line – is required to accommodate the trench box to support the excavation sides. The root pruning would then be located at least another 18″+ closer to the tree. The pruning creates another 6″ cut into the soil. This would put the root pruning inside the two nearest stakes supporting the orange fence – virtually into the tree’s root crown.”