Plan calls for 200 trees to be removed from Van Ness Avenue

Transit officials in San Francisco say they want to improve bus service and pedestrian safety along busy Van Ness Avenue with a controversial project that would involve removing almost 200 trees from Mission Street all the way to the Marina District.

The project is scheduled start early next year, but people in the area tell KTVU they want the trees to stay.

Trees up to 50 years old line the median and the sidewalks along the busy Van Ness corridor. They include red flowering gum, eucalyptus and various types of oak trees. 

"The trees give aesthetic beauty to the city. Getting rid of them is a bad idea," said Steven Zeiger. 

SFMTA says the tree removal is necessary to construct two bus lanes -- one in each direction -- down the center of Van Ness where the median currently exists. 

That will leave two instead of three lanes for vehicle traffic in each direction. Transit officials say the change will speed up bus travel time and increase ridership by more than 30 percent. 

"We project that about 60,000 riders will be taking this service when it's all said and done by 2019.  It' s something that will improve transportation for so many people," said SFMTA spokesman Paul Rose. 

Despite the claims of officials, some local residents still oppose the idea.

"At what cost? Just make this city uglier and dirtier and take out nature? I don't agree with that," said Wendy Wedlake, who lives and walks in this area daily. 

Notices of the intention to remove the trees are wrapped in plastic on tree trunks. About a dozen trees will be spared because they are deemed not to be in the way of construction. 

At city hall Monday night, there was a hearing to let the public know about the tree removal and the entire transit project. 

"You can't physically construct the new median and keep all the trees," said Chris Buck, an urban forester with the Public Works Department. 

The city has pledged to plant a total of 400 trees to replace and add to what is there now. However, officials acknowledged that it will take ten years to restore the current tree canopy. 

"Our city is becoming more cement and more ugly and there's not an investment towards nature. Keep the trees. I'm a big fan of the trees," said Wedlake. 

The Public Works Director will have about two weeks from Monday night to decide whether the trees will be removed.

The other side has 15 days to appeal.