ODOT: Hwys. 20-126 hazard tree deaths near Sisters not connected to herbicide issues

(Update: Adding video, comments from ODOT representative)

Agency forester says the cause of their deaths is uncertain

SISTERS, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Oregon Department of Transportation is preparing for another dead tree removal, and this time, they say it's not because of herbicide use.

ODOT is preparing to remove about 100 hazard trees, and the cause of death, is unknown. The removal of the trees is along several miles of Highways 20 and 126 from Sisters west to Suttle Lake.

Kacey Davey PIO, ODOT said some of the area of these dead trees do overlap with these areas where they have done hazard tree removal in the past.

• Crews will begin work Monday and plan to finish on Friday.
• Flaggers and pilot cars will guide traffic through the tree removal work zones. 
• Work begins east of Sisters near the U.S. 20 and OR 126 junction, and ends around Suttle Lake. (Milepost 94 on OR 126 to milepost 87 on U.S. 20.)
• Expect delays up to 20 minutes during the daytime, from 7 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.

In 2019, more than 2,100 trees were removed along a 12-mile stretch of Highway 20 between Sisters and Camp Sherman due to spray of the weed-killing herbicide Perspective near the road. The incident led to limits on the use of herbicides containing he chemical aminocyclopyrachlor, or ACP.

The agency isn't sure what killed these trees, but an ODOT forester says the possible causes of these tree deaths include drought, stress or beetle kill.

Davey said ODOT crews noticed the hazardous trees and marked them. The crews will be cutting the trees down on both sides of the highway.

The Deschutes National Forest says it isn't having issues with more hazardous trees than a normal year.

While there are many dead trees, ODOT is only concerned with the trees that pose a danger to passing motorists. Dead trees close to roads can be hazardous and need to be removed so they don't fall onto the highway, the agency said. ODOT removes them when they present an immediate or near-future risk to the road or utilities.

"You know, trees die alongside the highway, but they also die all the way throughout the forest," Davey said. "So we're only as a transportation agency concerned with the dead trees along the highway."

Hazard trees are identified and evaluated by ODOT foresters prior to removal.

"They die over time, and so we make a note of that, and then we can get our crews together and a chainsaw crew together, that's when we go ahead and set a time to remove the trees," Davey said.

For specific work zone locations, check TripCheck.com and look for the orange traffic cone icon near Sisters.