Tree removal, street widening project set to start this month; public meeting was overlooked

Plans to cut down some big old trees as part of a project to widen 14th and 15th streets on the Oregon State University campus are so far advanced, city parks officials wondered Thursday if a public meeting will carry much weight.

The joint project between OSU and the city includes widening 14th and 15th streets between Jefferson and Monroe avenues and portions of Jefferson Way on campus. In the way of the project are an estimated 10 mature trees, cherry and sweet gums. Some of them appear to date back to the university’s early days.

Kent Daniels, chairman of the Parks, Natural Areas, & Recreation Board and a member of the city’s urban forestry board, questioned the timing of the hearing and whether public input would actually filter into the project at all.

“I have concerns about the scale of the project as well as the impact on trees,” Daniels said. “For me, a public meeting should have been held on this last fall.”

OSU facilities engineers announced the scope of their plans just this week and set the public hearing for 6 p.m. Tuesday at the downtown fire station at 400 N.W. Harrison Blvd.

As planned, the project calls for demolition of the existing streets, vegetation and trees and construction of a new street, curbs, gutters, sidewalks, raised pedestrian crossings, new signals, turn lanes, lights and storm drainage.

Gateway architectural features at the edge of campus and new trees, plantings and irrigation also are part of the project.

As scheduled, the project is anticipated to start at the end of May and be finished in October.

“If that’s true, they’ve already made all the decisions about the design and have probably hired people to do the work,” Daniels said. “I would like to see work delayed a couple of weeks so people can get a look at the plans.”

Most of the cherry trees along the roadway will be saved in the construction, though several groups of sweet gum trees and some cherry trees are slated for removal.

City Manager Jon Nelson said the university has long planned street improvements for the narrow, often-congested stretch of campus roadway. The project is funded in part by city transportation funds, particularly plans for adding bus turn lanes.

“It’s been in the pipeline for a number of years, but I haven’t seen the scope of the project yet,” Nelson said. “We have been getting some calls from people, especially on plans for the tree removal.”

OSU Civil Engineering Manager Mike Blair said the university’s master plan — which includes the street improvements — was approved by the city a year ago. But in the process of balancing the project between the city and OSU, public input was accidentally left until the last minute.

“Really, in hindsight, this meeting should have happened a long time ago, and we’re working with the city to find out why it didn’t,” Blair said. “It’s really unfortunate, because of all the people who try to be proactive, I am.”

Although the public meeting is being held in the city’s fire station meeting room, it will be conducted by OSU facilities engineers, and illustrates the joint nature of the plan.

Steve Rogers, city Public Works director, agreed that not soliciting public input was an oversight and added that, despite the late date, nothing is set in stone.

“We knew it was a mistake not to (ask for public input),” Rogers said. “If there’s input that might call for a redesign, it might call for looking back at the project.”

During construction, traffic on Jefferson and 14th and 15th streets would be delayed, and perhaps closed, for up to 30 days. To access campus from the east, traffic will be diverted to Ninth Street, Washington Way, Benton Place and 26th Street.

If you go

WHAT: OSU/City of Corvallis public hearing on street improvements on 14th and 15th streets between Jefferson and Monroe Avenues.

WHEN: Tuesday at 6 p.m.

WHERE: Downtown Fire Station, 400 N.W. Harrison Blvd.

Matt Neznanski can be reached at 758-9518 or matt.neznanski@lee.net.