Removal of the street trees along Farmington Avenue is part of the West Hartford Center Infrastructure Master Plan.

View of Farmington Avenue (looking east from LaSalle Road) mid-day on Feb. 17, after removal of the street trees overnight. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

By Ronni Newton

The streetscape along Farmington Avenue in West Hartford Center appeared starkly different on Tuesday, Feb. 17 than it had looked the previous day.

Beginning in the evening of Monday, Feb. 16, crews from Gerber Construction began removal of the 37 street trees along Farmington Avenue, from Walden Street to North/South Main, on both the north and south sides of the block. Even though the honey locusts were bare of leaves at this time of year, the view is markedly changed, and orange and white barrels have been placed over the areas where the trees once stood, as a safety measure for pedestrians.

Crews work to cut down the street trees just after 9 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Although the schedule originally indicated that the work might take longer than one night – and it started a bit later than the 7 p.m. planned time because there were cars blocking access to some of the trees – Town Manager Rick Ledwith confirmed that all of the trees were taken down overnight and debris was removed by the time most businesses were ready to open on Tuesday morning.

View of Farmington Avenue (looking east from LaSalle Road) mid-day on Feb. 17, after removal of the street trees overnight. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Director of Public Works John Phillips, who is also the town’s tree warden, on Jan. 26 issued his decision that the 37 trees would be removed. The trees had been marked for removal in early January, but there was a public hearing held on Jan. 21 at the request of a resident.

As part of the West Hartford Center Infrastructure Master Plan, 46 new street trees – several different varieties, all native species – will be planted once the sidewalk reconstruction is complete.

According to the construction manager for the project, work on installation of soil cells for those future street trees will resume on Wednesday, Feb. 18. Crews will also continue electrical work related to tree pit receptacles on LaSalle Road, where the majority of infrastructure reconstruction work was completed in 2025.

Crews work to cut down the street trees just after 9 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

View of Farmington Avenue (looking east from LaSalle Road) mid-day on Feb. 17, after removal of the street trees overnight. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

View of Farmington Avenue (looking east from LaSalle Road) mid-day on Feb. 17, after removal of the street trees overnight. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

View of Farmington Avenue (looking west from LaSalle Road) mid-day on Feb. 17, after removal of the street trees overnight. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

View of Farmington Avenue (looking west from the corner of LaSalle Road) mid-day on Feb. 17, after removal of the street trees overnight. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

View of Farmington Avenue (looking east from LaSalle Road) mid-day on Feb. 17, after removal of the street trees overnight. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

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