More than 30 trees are being replaced along Riverside Drive in Wenatchee because of age, health and overgrowth into buildings and out into the street. 

The owner of the Riverside 9 Apartments, Weidner Apartment Homes, asked for the trees to be removed and is paying for the cost of replacement. 

Wenatchee Public Works Operations Manager Aaron Kelly says the process should go smoothly. 

"We did a test tree just to, kind of, find out if we were going to break any utilities and/or have any problems breaking up sidewalks to remove them," said Kelly. "We did the test tree, and it was successful. And so now they've gone ahead and started removing the other 32 trees." 

Kelly said the trees were becoming a nuisance and their root systems were filling out the tree wells to the point they could damage the sidewalks or the underground electrical and irrigation systems. 

Tree removal on Riverside Drive in Wenatchee
Tree removal on Riverside Drive in Wenatchee
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The trees that are being removed are honey locust, sunset maple and ash trees. Kelly said it was questionable whether they were a good fit for the area. 

The process of removing the trees will require their root systems to be cut out in chunks, effectively killing them. 

They’re set to be replaced by Armstrong maple trees, which are on the city’s approved list for street trees. 

Tree removal on Riverside Drive in Wenatchee
Tree removal on Riverside Drive in Wenatchee
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“They’re less likely to spread out over the parking areas or into the apartments,” Kelly said. “And then their tree root system should be trying to grow down versus out, trying to build to seek water or anything.” 

Armstrong maple trees are currently installed on the streets around the new city hall and in some city parks. 

The landscaper who is removing the existing trees on Riverside Drive is looking to install the Armstrong maple trees in the next two weeks.  

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