Easement Clearing 2009

The City-County Utility Commission has approved a $183,240 contract with Ronnie’s Trucking and Grading to clear overgrown sewer easements in Kernersville and Winston-Salem.

Work in Kernersville is expected to begin in late May or early June. Work in Winston-Salem will begin after the easements are cleared in Kernersville. All work is scheduled to be completed by Nov. 30.

Clearing the easements will ensure that Utilities crews can quickly access the sewer line in the event of a sewer backflow or line break. Clearing the easements will also reduce the likelihood of damage to the sewer line by tree roots.

The contract calls for ensuring that the easements are cleared for their full 20-foot width. No work will be done on those portions of easements only covered with grass and weeds. If there are vines, briars and trees, the entire 20-foot easement will be cleared. In some cases, clearing the easement will necessitate the removal of large trees. Brush, vines, small trees and limbs will be mulched and left on the easements. Larger trees will be cut up and removed.

Maps of the clearing areas - use the zoom feature to get a closer view

• Overall map of clearing areas [pdf/1/1mb/1p] 
• Kernersville Area 1 map [pdf/2.6mb/1p] 
• Kernersville Area 2 map [pdf/2.8mb/1p] 
• Kernersville area 3 [pdf/2.6mb/1p] 
• Winston-Salem area 5 [pdf/2.5mb/1b] 

Key for the maps

• Yellow highlight - have not been evaluated yet; clearing may be required
• Green highlight - light clearing (up to 2" diameter trees)
• Blue highlight - medium clearing (2" to 8" diameter trees)
• Red highlight - heavy clearing (8" and over diameter trees0
• no highlight - no clearing is required

Crews will access the easements from public roads and work their way down the length of the easement, crossing private property as necessary to clear the easement. Crews may work during daylight hours only.

Fliers will be placed on the doors of all residents along easements included in the project, about five days before work begins.

The Utility Commission expects to issue similar contracts over the next three years to continue clearing overgrown easements. In all, some 86 miles of easements will be cleared. Once cleared, Utilities will maintain the easements by mowing them every two to three years.

 Frequently Asked Questions about the sewer easement clearing