DOUGLAS - Tammy Graham grew up here. Some of her earliest - and fondest - memories of small-town life involve the stately old cottonwood and green ash canopy over Fourth Street.

Those trees shade her mother's front yard and protect flower beds from wind. They lend a scenic, hometown backdrop to years of State Fair parades and Fourth of July celebrations.

To her, the trees stand stoic and majestic draped in snow each winter, and are a tried and true promise of a warmer world when green buds appear each spring.

At least 98 old cottonwoods and green ash stand sentry along this main drive through Douglas, planted by far-sighted community leaders between the sidewalks and the streets to create a deep, shaded boulevard. Now, however, it seems those early planters didn't look far enough into the future to imagine a time when the state Department of Transportation would mandate a wider road - at the expense of many of those trees.

As is the case in many of Wyoming's small towns, the main route through residential and commercial areas is also a state highway, albeit rarely used as such in favor of the faster interstate. Now, Wyoming Department of Transportation is bringing the state highway up to new standards, preparing the route for 40 to 50 years in the future.

Those plans include widening Center, Fourth and Richards streets into two lanes each direction, with a center turn lane. On Center Street, that will require removing a center island, which currently houses decorative planters and street lights in a downtown setting, as well as stoplights at two cross streets. Down two-lane Fourth Street, a largely residential route with many old homes, the WYDOT work involves removing many of the large trees, widening the road into five lanes, taking away on-street parking and widening the sidewalks. On Richards Street, a newer commercial artery, plans include widening the route to five lanes and installing curbs, gutters and sidewalks.

WYDOT spokespeople say the changes will improve safety and prepare the community for efficient traffic flows up to 50 years from now, but that isn't reason enough for many residents.

Graham's concern spurred a petition, set out last week at a handful of local businesses, urging WYDOT to re-evaluate its plans for Fourth Street and consider alternative highway routes through town. As of Thursday evening, Graham had collected 524 signatures - nearly a tenth of the total population in Douglas.

Armed with that petition, she gave her opinions at a public open house hosted by WYDOT Thursday evening to collect input on the project.

"It's part of the character of Douglas, Fourth Street is," Graham said. "This is our town, and I think we have as much a right to say (what happens) as anybody else. If the state doesn't know we want to keep the trees, there's no reason they should even reconsider it."

A court reporter took down her comments and others. Lana Cross and her husband, George, live on Fourth Street and attended Thursday's meeting. Lana left with a growing sense of worry in her stomach, and with a determination to talk to neighbors who weren't at the meeting and encourage more public comment.

Attracted to the wide street, old homes and gorgeous trees, the Crosses bought their home 16 years ago. Now, they are worried about the potential loss of many trees, and also about other proposed changes.

"Taking out the trees, I don't like that," Lana said. "And it's going to put the street that much closer to the front of our house, and that much noisier. It just takes away from the small-town look.

"I grew up here, and it's just always been this way," she said. "It just seems like maybe they could come up with something different."

Most likely, the final changes will be at least slightly different. Under the National Environmental Policy Act, WYDOT will have to do an environmental assessment, which includes taking public comment, and come up with a range of alternatives for the agency's preferred course of action, WYDOT Resident Engineer Terry Craig said.

Additionally, city leadership and downtown businesses have been providing input for alternatives. City Administrator Bobbe Fitzhugh said one plan involves keeping on-street parking and widening Fourth Street to one lane in each direction, with a center turn lane. The trees aren't a serious concern, as many of the aging ones are slated for replacement by the city regardless of WYDOT's plans.

"Many of those trees are approaching the end of their useful lives," Fitzhugh said. "Many are closing in on 100 years old."

WYDOT officials have agreed to replace trees removed during the project, possibly even at a ratio of three to five new trees for each old one, Fitzhugh said.

"We are very comfortable that we can work within WYDOT's criteria, and that we're not going to end up with a massive chain saw massacre," she said.

Work on the Douglas streets may not start for another six years, based on WYDOT's planning cycles. For now, a slate of alternatives will be presented to the public late this year, with a second public meeting scheduled within the first three months of 2006.

How to comment

* People can comment on the proposed Douglas highway project by writing to Karen Creamer, HDR Engineering Inc., 303 E. 17th Ave., Suite 700, Denver, Colo., 80203. Or, visit www.douglasea.com to comment electronically and for more information.

* Written comments are due by Oct. 21 for this phase.