SALT LAKE CITY — City crews have begun the bulk of a long-awaited restoration effort along the North Temple corridor after a 2024 mishap that killed scores of trees lining the route. The Salt Lake City Department of Public Lands started planting new trees in August and has been repairing irrigation and soil in preparation for the remainder of the replacements.
Halfway through a planned recovery
Department officials say the project is roughly 50% complete. "We're about halfway through the full replacement of the North Temple corridor," Tyler Murdock, deputy director of the Department of Public Lands, told KSL. Workers planted 100 trees in August and are preparing planting sites for another 100 that will restore stretches of planters that had contained trees prior to the 2024 incident.
City crews expect to finish the full replacement by the end of November. In addition to the North Temple work, the city will plant another 30 to 40 trees along 1000 West in the Fairpark neighborhood this year, part of a partnership with the Utah State Fairpark.
Scope and context
The project is part of a broader replanting plan for the fast-growing North Temple corridor, which became a focal point when many of the trees lining the route died after being mistakenly sprayed with herbicide in 2024. Those plantings first accompanied the construction and operation of the Utah Transit Authority's Green Line TRAX, which opened service in 2013 and included landscaping maintained by the city.
Most of the damage was concentrated along North Temple from about 700 West to Redwood Road. Some trees along 300 West, between 900 North and 600 North, also were affected. Neighbors in the area reacted strongly when the loss became apparent.
"Trees add so much, right? And to have them dying, it takes away (from the area),"
said Jeffery Olson, chairman of the Fairpark Community Council, recalling calls from distraught neighbors after the poisoning.
What residents will see
The replanting work includes more than simply adding new trunks. Crews are repairing irrigation systems and amending soils to increase the likelihood that new trees will survive and thrive. City officials also plan to add hundreds of rose bushes in the corridor as part of the beautification work.
- 100 trees planted so far (August)
- 100 more trees being prepared for planting in existing planters
- 30–40 additional trees planned along 1000 West near Fairpark
- Hundreds of rose bushes to be added in the corridor
| Item | Quantity | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Trees planted (to date) | 100 | August |
| Trees in preparation | 100 | Coming weeks |
| Trees for Fairpark/1000 West | 30–40 | This year |
| Estimated project completion | End of November | |
Local implications
For residents, the replacement of newly planted trees will help restore shade, pedestrian comfort and the corridor’s appearance, issues cited by community members after the loss. The city’s timetable aims to finish before winter, giving young trees a chance to establish roots before the cold season intensifies.
The incident in 2024 sparked frustration and concern among neighbors and community leaders, who said the trees were an important neighborhood amenity. The Department of Public Lands’ current work follows that public outcry and represents a multi-part strategy: plant replacements, upgrade irrigation, and add complementary landscaping such as rose bushes.
Officials say crews will continue work across the corridor over the coming weeks. Residents seeking updates or with questions about the project are advised to contact the Salt Lake City Department of Public Lands.
