EPHRAIM, Utah — The century-old trees lining Main Street in Ephraim are coming down, marking the end of a long-running conversation about their future and prompting mixed reactions from people in the community.
FOX 13 News first reported on concerns surrounding the trees several months ago after residents questioned plans for their removal. More recently, a viewer reached out with concerns, prompting us to return to Ephraim as crews began cutting them down.
For some, watching the trees disappear is difficult.
“It makes me sad. I think they’re really pretty and everything. They provide a lot of shade for us,” said Esther Burgess, manager of the Little Caesars restaurant directly across the street. “I think they did need to be trimmed down. They made it hard to see when you’re pulling onto Main Street. But I don’t think they need to completely come down.”
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Burgess said customers have also noticed the work, although their immediate concern has sometimes been the road closures.
Not everyone has the same personal connection to the trees. Little Caesars employee Tyler Shepard said he didn't grow up in Ephraim, but has heard from customers who feel more emotionally attached to them and are having a hard time watching them go.
Snow College student Shay Noblett said the removal is heartbreaking, especially knowing how long the trees have been part of the community.
“It’s kind of sad because I know they’ve been here a long time, but I also know it’s safer for the power lines and things, so I kind of see both sides,” Noblett said.
UDOT Region 4 spokesman Kevin Kitchen said the agency understands that removing established trees is difficult, but an arborist's assessment raised concerns about their condition.
“Nobody likes to see trees go,” Kitchen said.
He said the trees were deteriorating, with structural deficiencies, concerns about their canopy and questions about their overall health. Those findings led UDOT to move forward with the removal.
Kitchen said UDOT had been working with Ephraim City and even delayed the project after hearing concerns from residents.
The city had also taken steps years ago to plant a new row of trees behind the existing ones. Those younger trees are expected to eventually grow and provide shade along the roadway.
While the removal marks a significant change to the familiar Main Street landscape, city and transportation officials say safety concerns ultimately factored into the decision.