PHOENIX — The Arizona Department of Transportation, White Mountain Apache Tribe and U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs are working together to remove trees considered hazards along the State Route 260 right of way through the eastern Arizona reservation.

In addition to reducing the risk of trees falling on the roadway between McNary (milepost 361) and State Route 273 (milepost 378), the project will reduce the accumulation of snow and ice during the winter by allowing more sunlight to reach the pavement. It also will make it less likely that vehicles leaving the highway will hit trees.

The work, which is currently underway and scheduled to last through Oct. 8, requires lane closures and the use of a pilot car between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Drivers should proceed through the work zone with caution, slow down, and watch out for equipment and workers.

White Mountain Apache Timber Co. arranged for a contractor to cut the trees within 30 feet of the roadway, as called for by Federal Highway Administration guidelines. ADOT is providing traffic control, and the tribe will be able to use the trees for lumber and firewood.