The Contractor shall furnish all labor, materials, tools and equipment for all excavation and backfilling required for work under this contract, including all sheeting, shoring and bracing, dewatering of excavation, and other work as herein specified. All work shall be done in accordance with the current Michigan Department of Transportation Standard Specifications for Construction, except as stated within this specification. 1.02 CONSTRUCTION METHODS 1. Clearing the Site The Contractor shall clear the site of all brush and debris which may be present and interfering with construction operations and shall remove and dispose of the same. No trees or shrubs are to be removed unless shown on the plans or permitted by the Engineer. Concrete, asphalt, trees, and shrubs shown on the plans to be removed shall be disposed of at a suitable location off the site of the work. 2. Protection of Trees All trees which are to be preserved or which, in the opinion of the Engineer, might be subject to damage by the Contractor's operations, shall be adequately protected against damage to the bark by 2-inch thick vertical planking securely wired or tied completely around the tree trunk. Such protection shall not be removed until authorized by the Engineer. No excavation greater than 1 foot in depth shall be made by machine within 5 feet of any tree. If the excavation cuts within the canopy (dripline) of a tree, the Contractor shall tunnel under roots and protect them from injury throughout the work. All roots greater than 2" shall be cleanly cut, if removed.
