16 North sewer separation moves forward; city warns residents of tree removals and private-connection work

Brandon Fox, Newark’s water administrator, told the service committee on March 2 that the loan for phase one of the 16 North Sewer Separation Project is being finalized and the contractor is ready to begin work. "That project's getting ready to kick off," Fox said, adding the phase must be completed by July 2028.

Fox told the committee the work will require the removal of roughly 80 to 90 trees in phase one and that the removals must occur before April 1 to avoid bat-season restrictions. "Those trees have to be removed by or taken down before April 1st due the bat season," he said, and staff will mark affected trees and share maps with residents.

The project’s scope includes excavation from sidewalk to sidewalk, Fox said, and the city will offer a limited tree-replacement program for affected homeowners. "We've got four or five varieties that our design folks have put together" for replacement plantings, he said, noting replacements will be behind sidewalks to reduce future root conflicts.

Fox also described work on private storm connections identified during the design: crews found about 60–70 homes with downspouts tied into the combined sewer and will work with property owners to disconnect those downspouts free of charge as part of the project. "We'll be working with the owner to gain access onto the property... they will basically remove the downspout from where it goes into the ground," Fox said, and the city will cover the cost.

On pavement, Fox said the project team decided not to reinstall full brick streets because of cost — restoring all bricks would have added an estimated $3.5 million — but will reconstruct many intersections with brick to retain a historic appearance. The city will instead place asphalt on the full street segments. He described traffic-control plans that include detours on Mount Vernon Road with a minimum 48-hour notice to impacted households and businesses.

Residents raised concerns about tree losses and neighborhood character. Michelle, who identified herself as the seventh-board representative and a Fairfield resident, asked about outreach. "Is there going to be written correspondence that goes out to our neighbors before that happens? Or can I work with you guys? I will go doortodoor and put stuff on people's doors," she said. Fox said staff will distribute maps showing marked trees and agreed to coordinate additional door-to-door outreach for the earliest streets impacted.

Fox also updated the committee on related utility work: the city has been carrying out a multi-year service-line replacement program (removing galvanized lines). He said about 3,200 services have been replaced since 2022 and roughly 4,500 remain; contractors will make multiple visits, and residents who do not respond after repeated outreach will receive final notices and be responsible for any future repairs.

The committee discussion focused on timing, homeowner notification and preserving neighborhood character; the committee did not take a separate vote on the construction plan itself during the meeting. Next steps include finalizing loan paperwork, distributing marked-tree maps to affected block residents, and scheduling the first construction activities expected to start in March.