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City residents who had trees removed as part of a multi-year Newberry street reconstruction and paving project will have to wait about seven and a half years before the replantings, a state transportation official said.
Tree plantings, where feasible, are scheduled as part of the next major project, said Maggie Baker, a spokeswoman with the state Department of Transportation.
"The next project in this area is currently scheduled to begin in 2028," she said.
About a mile and a third on West Fourth Street between Route 15 and Hillside Avenue is under reconstruction in a multi-year project to improve the riding surface.
As part of the project, PennDOT had 51 trees were removed in front of residences. Eight of those trees were replanted last year between Route 15 and Arch Street, Baker said.
The bids for the project include the replacement of utilities and sidewalks and the state has worked together with the city public works department and the administration as well as members of the Newberry Community Partnership, some of whom own property in the work zone.
The last time interested parties met was prior to the COVID-19 outbreak in January, a meeting in which information was shared that tree replantings must take place outside of the state right-of-way, or between the houses and sidewalk, Baker said.
"This is due to utility lines that are located within this right-of-way and the future anticipated roadway reconstruction work between Oliver Avenue and Arch Street," Baker said.
"Residents of Williamsport appreciate the new road that PennDOT installed on West Fourth Street," said Michele Frey, a city resident who had a tree removed in front of her house.
"Unfortunately," she added, "questions remain regarding the replacement of sidewalks and street trees. Earlier this year, residents were delighted to hear reports that PennDOT would incorporate space in the sidewalks to include the replacement of all the street trees they removed. Now, it appears that work on the new sidewalks is not progressing and PennDOT will leave West Fourth Street treeless for at least eight more years."