Residents decry tree removals as council advances alley and street reconstruction projects; hearings continued

The Saint Paul City Council on April 23 adopted a final order for the 2025 Alley Improvement Program and ratified assessments related to a multi‑year street paving program, but public testimony focused on the removal of mature street trees and on special assessments prompted the council to continue the larger streets reconstruction public hearing to May 7.

Assistant Street Engineering Division Manager Steve Dodge told the council the alley program inventory includes roughly 2,300 alley segments and about 330 miles of alleys; current annual funding for alley work is approximately $400,000, supplemented by assessments and capital funds. Staff said the new program will use a special‑benefit analysis and a capped assessment approach similar to the city’s street program; staff noted $3.4 million in capital improvement funds available to leverage assessments.

Council adopted the final order for the 2025 Alley Improvement Program (item 31)…