West Catawba Tree Trimming Tied to Widening

Tree trimming related to the West Catawba widening project

By Jon Show — The large swaths of trees being cleared along West Catawba Avenue and Westmoreland Road are related to the upcoming widening of West Catawba, officials said.

Crews began being clearing trees two weeks ago along Westmoreland Road and on both sides of West Catawba. Tree trimming around lines is a normal occurrence but some of the clearing is nowhere near existing power lines, creating some confusion for Cornelius residents.

A spokesperson for EnergyUnited said the trees are being cleared in areas where power lines will have to be moved as part of the West Catawba widening project. That is why the clearing extends well beyond the location of existing power lines, the spokesperson said.

West Catawba is a state road, and the North Carolina Department of Transportation currently has construction on the widening project scheduled to begin in 2028, according to the State Transportation Improvement Program.

The power lines are not being buried because the town deemed the cost prohibitive. The town estimated in 2016 that burying the lines would cost about $7 million.