designated as a Regional Center pursuant to the State Development and Redevelopment Plan.

The western end of town is home to large historic houses with wide streets and relatively wide tree planting strips. Many of the older, large trees that used to line the streets here have been removed over the years and replacement has not kept up with removal. Trees in the downtown area have been pruned in the past 5 years. A Treescape Plan for Main Street has been a point of controversy for the past 5 years between the Downtown Somerville Alliance and Environmental Commission. New Main Street construction requires tree replacements but enforcement has lacked. The Alliance has received funding for tree replacement and hazardous trees have been prioritized for removal. Three trees were removed in October 2018 and replaced in late November.

The north, east and southern parts of town are generally younger than the downtown and western portions of Borough and tend to have smaller planting strips and less room for large trees between the sidewalk and curb. As in the older parts of town, replacement has not kept up with removal and loss in these areas as well. Generally, street trees have been planted between the sidewalk and the curb.

Current tree related issues included sidewalks and the emerald ash borer. Sidewalks and trees have been a controversial issue the past years. Heaved sidewalks that pose a tripping hazard are a problem in the Borough. This is a common problem in communities and has several methods to address it. The most common and least desirable method of dealing with roots lifting sidewalks is to grind or cut roots and pour a new concrete slab. This process can kill the tree outright, or cause the tree to topple by physical loss of support or the introduction of decay fungi into the root system which reduces physical support in the near future. Another method of addressing the problem is to curve the sidewalk around the base of the tree avoiding most of the major support roots. This method can be better than just cutting roots close to the trunk but still has some damage to the root system.

Some municipalities object to the sidewalk not being straight, especially if it must go off the right-of-way to pass the tree. If the sidewalk width must be narrowed when curving around the tree, it should be noted that the minimum width to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act is 36 inches. Other considerations are discussed in:

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/bicycle_pedestrian/publications/sidewalks/chap4a.cfm

In areas where the lifted edge of the concrete is less than 2 inches it is possible to use concrete grinding to eliminate the tripping hazard. Some municipalities have their own concrete grinding machine and it may be possible to barter services if the Borough is interested in trying this method. Another method of dealing with heaved concrete slabs is to replace the slab with concrete pavers or bricks that can be laid to bridge over the top of roots. The appeal of pavers is that they can be sloped to go over surface roots much more easily than can concrete. The incline would be no more than that of a handicap ramp at a street corner. Maintenance of pavers could also entail picking out the offending pavers and either adjusting the stone dust base or cutting the paver to a thickness where it will be even. Maintenance of street trees and sidewalks need attention.

All species of ash are in peril of attack and death by the invasive Emerald Ash Borer that has now arrived in New Jersey. Plans for how to effectively manage this impending scenario are