PORT TOWNSEND — A crew Monday began cutting down four aging poplar trees the city determined posed a hazard to the neighborhood.
The tree removal was scheduled to begin last week but was postponed due to the illness of a crew member.
The four trees are being removed on Walker Street between Franklin and Clay streets near the Jefferson County Courthouse, and traffic will be closed on that block between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. until the trees are down.
The job is expected to take three to four days, according to Carl Koepp, owner of Acorn Tree & Stump Services in Poulsbo, the project’s contractor.
The trees are removed from the top, with crews climbing up and cutting one branch at a time.
Kopp said this is the most time-consuming stage of the project, and removal proceeds at a greater rate once the trees are cut below the utility line.
Once the trees are cut, the crew will grind out the stumps, with maples planted as replacements.
The poplars have been the subject of controversy since 1998, when neighbors sought their removal for safety reasons.
The trees became a priority in March after a severe windstorm severed a large branch, which fell into the street without hitting people or property.
The city hired an arborist who characterized the trees as “high risk,” and the removal project was approved.
The total cost of the tree removal will be $8,900, according to project manager John Merchant.
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.