By CONNER GOETZ
correspondent@centrecountygazette.com
STATE COLLEGE — The State College Borough Tree Commission passed a unanimous motion to oppose the scheduled removal of 46 trees as part of PennDOT’s $19 million South Atherton Street improvement project after residents voiced their concerns during a public comment session on Jan. 13.
According to the plans, trees would be removed along the approximately 1.2 mile stretch of South Atherton Street between Curtain Road and Westerly Parkway in order to facilitate planned improvements to drainage pipes, underground utilities and pedestrian crossings.
Borough Arborist Lance King said he presented his report to the tree commission after inspecting the site with PennDOT officials in November.
“My recommendations are based on the designs I get from PennDOT, and take into consideration the species of the tree, the condition they’re in … and what impact the project would have on those trees,” King said.
And although King said workers would try to successfully replant the removed trees along other stretches of Atherton Street, State College residents were not agreeable with his proposal.
“If all those trees are removed, it will have a devastating effect on the environment of that street, from aesthetics to livability,” said Mark McGill, former chair of the Ferguson Township Tree Commission.
According to McGill, he believes the arboreal expertise of PennDOT was not utilized fully in the development of this project.
“I cannot fathom that we don’t have more expert input — innovative thinkers who can come up with other ways to look at this project. It’s ridiculous,” said Benner Township resident Jenny Wasdek.
“I’m not an arborist,” Wasdek said, “but I don’t know how you can tell the underground infrastructure of a tree by standing above ground.”
Vincent Crespi said his daughter grew up walking under these trees, and was concerned about the potential detrimental impact of their removal.
“We’re not getting these trees back if (they are removed), and they won’t come back in the lifetimes of most of the people on this call,” he added, “these decisions are going to affect our children and even their children.”
Newly minted State College Borough Councilmember Gopal Balachandran attended the public comment session virtually to share his thoughts on the proposed tree removal.
“I’m happy PennDOT is having these meetings, and I think that more (public comment sessions) should occur,” Balachandran said. “Atherton Street, whether north or south, has been a major hazard and there is very little community say or involvement over how streets can be structured and built.”
Eric Murnyack, Penn DOT South Atherton project manager took time to respond to address residents concerns.
“There’s no reason why I wouldn’t extend that offer (to reinspect each tree along the project route) again,” Murnyack said, “we can go back out and look at these trees again and see if, in (Lance King’s) opinion we can save any more of them.”
Several members of the Nittany Valley Environmental Coalition attended the meeting, including Pam Steckler.
“I’m on the board of NVEC, and we fully support doing everything we can to save as many of these trees as possible,” Steckler said, “I think PennDOT has really gotten that message tonight.”
