cover said:

Many thanks to all of you for your replies. Appreciate that very
much. The tree is a fairly healthy size maple tree and the trunk is
approximately 15' from the slab. A trencher just might be the easiest
approach. Any thoughts on using an axe versus some sort of root saw
if a person doesn't want to bring great harm to the tree. It's fairly
mature and I hate to damage it too significantly but at the same time,
have property to protect.


It was a poor choice of a tree to plant so close to a sidewalk (or a poor
choice for a sidewalk location, as it wasn't specified which came first).
In either case, maple roots grow quite horizontally. Severing the roots,
will most likely damage the tree beyond recoverability, or will certainly
disfigure it, probably in a short time.

--
Eggs

-Half the people you know are below average.