The extraordinary efforts made by the City of Stillwater to preserve as many trees as possible during a road widening project that began last year is going to pay dividends in many ways for years to come.

The city staff held three meetings with neighborhood residents to determine their level of concern about the project and to update them on the construction plans that had been revised to address their wishes. The city forester helped develop the technical specs and contracts and then a certified arborist was made part of the construction team.

The result is an improved road that shifts and twists around trees that will continue to improve air quality and aesthetics far into the future. The City of Stillwater's tree-sensitive solution to road widening is made-in-the-shade good news for Oklahoma.