Moses Lake to replace several downtown trees

MOSES LAKE - Dozens of overgrown trees will be replaced over the next few months in the Moses Lake downtown core.

The Moses Lake City Council approved a $175,725 bid Tuesday for the removal of 34 trees and tree wells, replacement of 25 and installation of four new accessible parking spaces. Project winner McKean Concrete and Construction was the lowest of three bids, falling below the engineer's estimate of $176,140.

Most of the trees in question are along Broadway and Third avenues, with others scattered throughout the central business district.

Councilwoman Karen Liebrecht asked municipal services director Gary Harer how often the city will have to pay for tree replacement like this.

"You stated once before that the longevity of these trees is usually 20-25 years and so we're looking at doing this all over again in another 25 years?" she asked.

Harer acknowledged most cities do plan on replacing street trees about every 25 years. The new batch of trees will be a columnar variety called the European hornbeam, however, which aren't expected to grow as fast or as big as those in the ground now and shouldn't have to be replaced as often.

Councilman Dick Deane said he understands trees need to be replaced on a regular basis.

"It just kind of keeps the community alive," he said. "I know I don't like the expense but I do recognize that sometimes you've got to put a new roof on your house and that's what we do about every 25 years."

Most street trees have a life span of up to 50 years, according to the National Arbor Foundation, but Moses Lake City Engineer O'Brien said Wednesday the key issue here is one of size.

Trees outgrow the wells containing them, resulting in uplifted sidewalk pavers and damaged grates, he said.

The city recently changed the design of the underground tree wells from circular to square for a better fit where they meet surface pavers, O'Brien said, which should slow root invasion under the surrounding sidewalk.

The contractor will remove and replace 10 trees at a time to reduce the amount of disruption on downtown sidewalks during the course of the project, which should wrap up before winter, O'Brien said.