A tree contractor for Traverse City Light & Power, Asplundh Tree Expert Co., will start a tree and vegetation clearing project on Monday, December 6.

The project will take place along the railroad corridor from Barlow Street to Airport Access Road in preparation for a transmission line upgrade project planned to begin in April 2022 (pictured, project map). The work is expected to be completed by Friday, December 31. Staff will put up warning signs along the walking path at both Rose and Barlow streets and all streets in between, though the TART Trail will remain open in the area. Spotters will be used to “aid in traffic control and pedestrian control to assure the public is safe during the work,” according to staff documents, with other work completed using bucket trucks and wheel feed chippers.

The mower that will be used on the site has a trap door on the front to deflect debris downward instead of forward, “keeping flying debris to a minimum.” While the project could be visually impactful – staff photos of similar line maintenance projects show wide ground clearance around lines ranging from 20-100 feet, as well as a broad aerial buffer – the project also calls for a restoration component to include planting native shrubs such as highbrush cranberry, blackhaw viburnum, and common lilac.

The upgrade project will involve rebuilding 2.71 miles of existing electric transmission line to improve capacity and increase grid reliability. TCL&P will be bringing the right-of-way back to industry standard clearances “in order to ensure the safe and reliable operation of the utility lines,” according to a utility release. According to staff documents, approximately half of the utility’s 13,000 customers are serviced by the transmission line, and a substation fed by the line is the main backup feed for all of downtown. The distribution circuit is also the main backup feed for the airport industrial park and the air traffic control tower. Without maintenance, there are several public safety risks related to the line, including downed high voltage lines, sparks from trees contacting energized lines, and stray voltages, according to staff documents.