Utility's tree work upsets north county residents

Published: Friday, April 25, 2014 at 5:54 p.m. Last Modified: Friday, April 25, 2014 at 5:54 p.m.

The scenery along a portion of Northeast Jacksonville Road is a little less cluttered these days, and some people are upset about it.

Crews hired by Duke Energy have cut down or significantly trimmed a number of large oak trees along the western side of the roadway, as the company upgrades its power lines and relocates them further back from traffic.

According to county documents, the project is part of Duke's plan to "storm-harden" its network along a 4.5-mile stretch between Anthony and Sparr.

"We're all disgusted by it," said Ed Hayden, who lives along the east side of Jacksonville Road. "Everybody thinks they're getting ready to turn it into a four-lane highway."

Duke Energy spokesman Sterling Ivey said the project required some "vegetation management" work in order to ensure the power would continue to flow smoothly to the area.

The recent cutting comes not long after CSX Transportation did similar tree removal along almost three miles on the east side of Jacksonville Road, Hayden noted.

"The wind blows through here like a funnel," the Anthony resident said. "It's a regular dust bowl. All those trees that were 100 years old are gone."

Hayden said neighbors saw the contractor's trucks in the area weeks ago, and the clearing work slowly progressed.

Records show Duke has requested right-of-way access from the county for the stretch between Northeast 95th Street and 140th Street, although the permit by the county for the work in question narrows that to the area from 105th Lane and 120th Street.

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Utility's tree work upsets north county residents