Residents have been expressing concern for trees dying from beetle infestations in Porter Ranch near the 118 and Reseda, worried that the problem could spread throughout the neighborhood. At the July 8 Porter Ranch Neighborhood Council meeting, Caltrans Deputy District Director of Maintenance, Deborah Wong tackled the issue head on with a solid plan to thwart beetle expansion and restore our roadside woodlands. She prefaced her remarks by informing us that prior to her current role, she led the North Region Maintenance Design Team taking special care to ensure a smooth ride on all of the freeways on the north end of Los Angeles County, including the 118.

With respect to the tree problem, she noted that in the 2013-2014 fiscal year she had 100 dead trees removed on the north side of the 118. In the new 2014-2015 fiscal year she has developed a plan to remove the remainder of the dead trees. Further, she will put a project out to bid in the November timeframe for $250,000 worth of work to replant trees and restore irrigation. The trees that will be planted are all natives, drought tolerant, maintenance friendly, quick growing, and not effected by beetles: Silk Tree, Deodar Cedar, Red Ironbark, Raywood Ash, California Sycamore and Fremont Cottonwood. Trees will be 15 gallon container size.

Her staff discovered that there is a break in the irrigation line to the north side of the 118 near Wilbur. Rather than try to repair the line, which would have a negative impact to drivers during construction and create continuing road maintenance problems, a new water line will cross the freeway affixed to the underside of a bridge.

The timing of the project calls for the dead trees to be removed in the next two months and new trees and irrigation installed in the spring of 2015. (Note removal began the week of July 14. It may take a month to remove trees once they are cut down.)

Many thanks to our Caltrans expert for taking care of Porter Ranch!

Please join us at our next Porter Ranch Neighborhood Council meeting to explore other issues of interest to Porter Ranch on Wednesday, August 6, 6pm at the Porter Ranch Community School Multipurpose Room, 12450 Mason Avenue. Note the new time and location.