Grand Marais elm trees to be removed in November, says project engineer
The elm trees lining the Highway 61 corridor passing through Grand Marais are slated for removal. Photo by Rhonda Silence
At an August 8 meeting held by the Minnesota Department of Transportation, there was a large turnout of citizens who wanted MnDOT to reconsider its plans to remove the trees in the Highway 61 corridor during the upcoming road reconstruction project. Click here to hear that report.
Of the 11 elm trees in the section of Highway 61 from the intersection by Voyageur Brewing to the intersection by Buck’s Hardware, nine are earmarked for removal.
The roadwork through that area of Grand Marais is scheduled for early 2020, however, according to MnDOT Project Engineer Andrew Deming, the elm trees will be taken down in November 2019. The earlier removal of the trees is due to restrictions on tree removal to protect the long-eared bat. Clearing cannot be done while bats are inhabiting the trees, so it must be done in the winter.
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