LOWER MERION — Lower Merion Commissioners awarded a contract for Street Tree Planting to Lawrence Site Contractor for $89,900 to plant hundreds of trees in the township.
Adam Szumski, Lower Merion’s chief financial officer, provided details on the contract.
“This is a bid for exactly 200 trees, which all have homes in the township. By way of background, if a tree is removed in the course of day-to-day operations, a right-of-way tree, the public works department will ask the resident if they would like that tree to be replaced,” Szumski said. “It can be a one-for-one replacement, or, potentially, if feasible, even add a shade tree in the right-of-way. Residents can also request a right-of-way tree by reaching out to our public works department. So all of this goes into the process of identifying approximately 200 trees a year to replace and put out to bid as we did here.”
According to Szumski, the bidder is a first-time awardee of this project. The township arborist did reach out and check backgrounds, and the nursery they use was satisfactory to the staff.
Township Manager Ernie McNeely said the plantings generally occur in October or November.
According to township officials, the funds for the plantings are available through the Lower Merion Public Works Operating Budget – Shade Tree Division. The base bid amount of $89,900 is $10,100 or 10.1% less than the staff estimate of $100,000.
The 11 bids the township received ranged from $89,900 to over $170,000.
The plantings are part of an ongoing effort by Lower Merion to plant trees throughout the township.
“Each year new trees are planted on streets throughout Lower Merion Township,” according to information on the township’s website. “Tree sites are selected by the Shade Tree Commission with input from Civic Associations and Township residents. A priority of the Shade Tree Commission is to replace trees that have been removed along Township streets. Property owners who would like to have a tree planted in the right-of-way on their property should contact the Township Arborist at 610-726-7141 or fill out the request a shade tree form. Thereafter, the Township Arborist will inspect the site to determine if it is suitable for a shade tree. All considerations are taken into account for whether a tree can be planted and if so what species would be best.”
The tree request form can be found at www.lowermerion.org/departments/public-works-department/public-works-divisions/shade-tree-division/tree-planting-and-maintenance/request-a-township-tree-1956