So long: Augusta County removes two trees in front of courthouse

Katelyn Waltemyer and Brad Zinn, Staunton News Leader
·1 min read
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STAUNTON — Two trees in front of the Augusta County courthouse were chopped down Wednesday, causing partial road closures on East Johnson Street.

According to a post on Facebook from Augusta County VA - Government, two Zelkova trees were taken down because "the space that these trees are planted in is too small for the rooting structure of this tree type." The county said the trees were removed to protect the physical and historical integrity of "the brick walk areas and retaining walls, as well as to ensure the safety of the traveling public."

The county said it is considering other tree types for the space.

A portion of East Johnson Street was still temporarily closed late Wednesday afternoon as workers continued to clear debris.

Traffic was routed up New Street, creating backups downtown, and the sidewalk near the courthouse was also blocked off.

Many have protested under the trees in front of the courthouse over the years.
Many have protested under the trees in front of the courthouse over the years.

— Katelyn Waltemyer (she/her) is the government watchdog reporter for The News Leader. Have a news tip on local government? Or a good feature? You can reach Katelyn at kwaltemyer@newsleader.com. Follow her on Twitter @Kate_Waltemyer.

— Brad Zinn is the cops, courts and breaking news reporter at The News Leader. Have a news tip? Or something that needs investigating? You can email reporter Brad Zinn (he/him) at bzinn@newsleader.com. You can also follow him on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Augusta County removes two trees by courthouse, causing lane closures