York Region removing 1,000 trees for bus lanes


Yorkregion.com
Feb. 27, 2015
By Kim Zarzour

Starting yesterday, trees along Yonge Street in Richmond Hill and Newmarket will be marked with spray paint and ribbons before being removed for construction of the VIVAnext Yonge Street Bus Rapidway.

Work crews were to begin marking almost 1,000 trees in coming weeks to make way for the widening of Yonge.

In Richmond Hill, 665 trees between Hwy. 7 and Major Mackenzie and between Levendale Road and 19th Avenue will be tagged for removal, while in Newmarket, 324 trees will be marked between Sawmill Valley Drive to just south of Davis Drive.

The trees within York Region’s right-of-way are to be removed for road widening and for utilities to be moved farther back to allow room for the rapidways - dedicated bus lanes in the centre of the road.

VIVA says majority of trees will be removed before the start of bird nesting season, which is April 15 to July 15.

Any remaining trees to be removed during bird nesting season will be assessed and signed off by a certified arborist prior to removal.

Removals are expected to take about two months to complete in Richmond Hill and one month in Newmarket.

During that time, drivers may experience short-duration lane closures and sidewalks may be closed to ensure pedestrian safety.

Bus stops may also be temporarily affected, with signs to redirect passengers to alternate locations if required.

All trees marked for removal were carefully evaluated to determine the feasibility of transplanting, said York Region Rapid Transit spokesperson Dale Albers, adding transplanting the trees is not a viable option.

VIVA plans to have the smaller trees cut and wood chipped on site. Larger trees will be loaded into a bin and chipped off site to minimize disruption. Wood chips and mulch from the trees will be used for landscaping purposes.

Once construction is complete, VIVA plans to plant the same number of trees along boulevards and in medians. The new trees will not be as large as some of the trees being removed.