This summer there has been road construction on our local streets, in Fairfield, almost nonstop.  Curbs have been replaced at intersections, potholes have been fixed and cracks repaired.  It seems every time I head out there is work being done in a new spot.

For the last two weeks there has been a lot of activity on one side of Cement Hill Rd between North Texas and Peppertree.  The crews are working on a problem that has existed for the last 5-10 years.

The problem is trees, or to be more specific the humans who choose them. When I moved to Fairfield in 1989 these trees were very large. I spoke with a gentleman who attended Fairfield High in 1968 and he told me the trees were big even then. I do not know how old they actually are.  The problem is they were planted between a sidewalk and the road.  When you see the size of the original concrete planter borders, now broken into multiple pieces, it seems that the landscapers or planners didn't plan very far into the future.

These trees are some sort of pine.  They have needles in clusters of two and are cone bearing.  As the trunk and branches have reached skyward, the roots have spread horizontally, first breaking the concrete border and then buckling sidewalks and streets.  The bike lane for several blocks was a bit of a joke as it more resembled a roller coaster.  The tree nearest Dover/Cement Hill intersection came crashing down last winter.

So now a trench has been dug and street side roots severed. Ultimately we assume the trench will be filled in and repaved.  It will be interesting to see how the trees do from this point on with the severe root pruning on one side.  Also this was done during the drought.  I don't see that the city had much choice as the roots had become a safety issue.

It is a good lesson for all of us, though.  When you plant something that is going to grow substantially over the years, you have to give it enough space.  Otherwise, you or your heirs are going to have a lot of work to do down the road.  Choose the right plant for the right space.