A tree that stood in front of Mathews High School was removed on Tuesday in preparation for an upcoming VDOT project that will provide a crosswalk on Buckley Hall Road and additional sidewalks for the public to access Mathews High School. According to Mathews Facilities and Grounds Director Tim Tillage, the tree’s root system would have interfered with the installation and ongoing integrity of the sidewalk and had to be removed. He said removing it well ahead of the start date of the project would give the ground time to settle before installation begins. The estimated start date of construction on the $1.6 million project, according to the online VDOT project page, is spring of 2028, with completion expected by that summer. The company removing the tree is Whispering Tree of Mathews....