Nearly 90 trees to be felled along Hwy. 20 near Sisters

(Update: Adding Peter Murphy comments, KTVZ.COM Poll)

Beginning Monday morning, crews with the Oregon Department of Transportation will begin the process of removing hazard trees from the U.S. Highway 20 right of way west of Sisters.

Peter Murphy, public information officer for ODOT Region 4, said Friday some of the trees are being removed after accidentally being sprayed with a harmful herbicide and some are being removed for natural causes.

“Many of them are dead or diseased,” he said. “And so what we have to do is make sure as we drive along during winter weather, windy weather, rainy weather, whatever kind of weather we’re up against, that we’ll take them out, so in the event they do weaken in the storm system, that they are out of the way of motorists.”

The process will involve felling trees that have been identified as “dangerous” to the motoring public, either as a consequence of natural forces or due to the inadvertent spraying of the herbicide “Perspective” along the ODOT highway right of way.

ODOT said it has identified as many as 87 such trees that present a danger to motorists and must be removed.

“What we’ll do is we’ll knock it down and either fell it away from the highway or get it out of the way as soon as we can, Murphy said. “So motorists need to be aware that for the next couple of days in the Sisters area, probably through Thursday, we’ll have this operation going on. There will be equipment on the highway and folks working in the woods. So a little bit more heads up on the highway and do be prepared for some delay.”

ODOT maintenance managers have decided to use hand-clearing operations to perform the felling process. They will leave the downed timber within the immediate vicinity of the highway, pending a larger removal process of affected trees during the spring of next year.

Motorists can expect to see equipment and personnel in close vicinity to the highway and anticipate some slowing or stopping as the operation is underway.

The felling project is expected to be completed by Thursday of next week.

Murphy said the Forest Service will decide what to do with the felled trees, likely next spring, as it’s “still in the exploration stage.”

What do you think should be done with the felled trees? That’s the topic of our new KTVZ.COM Poll, on this page and at https://www.ktvz.com/polls.