El Segundo Cuts Trademark Trees for Downtown Project

Since 1971, the quaint streets of El Segundo’s Main Street and Grand Avenue have been shaded by long, straight rows of ficus trees. But beginning Monday, they’re coming down.

More than 100 trees eventually will be removed to make way for a revitalized downtown that will include new sidewalks, streetlights, curbs, gutters and a plaza. Lawsuits from people who have tripped on cracked sidewalks, coupled with overgrown root systems that probably would not survive the redevelopment of streets, mean the trees must come out, city officials said.

Even the town’s resident tree advocate agrees with the clear-cutting plan.

“It’s a very sad thing, but we’re not protesting,” said Gail Church, executive director of the El Segundo-based Tree Muskateers, an international organization that works with children to promote urban forestry. “This is the same kind of process you go through when you have a pet that’s suffering,” she said. “It was sad, but we decided it was time to let them go.”

Andreas Santamaria, the city’s public works director, said the tree removal is part of a long-range plan to spruce up El Segundo’s business district. Many cities, including Pasadena and Beverly Hills, periodically replace aging or problem trees, he said. El Segundo is just doing it all at once.

The $25,000 removal will begin Monday with about 40 trees on Main Street.

They will be replaced by California sycamores, purple birches, Torrey pines, Chinese evergreens, maiden hair and even California redwood trees.