Branching out? Streets and Sanitation boss reports 172% ramp-up in Chicago tree trimming

Chicago’s Streets and Sanitation Department reports a dramatic increase in the number of trees trimmed since Jan. 1. (Pat Nabong/Sun-Times)

Chicago trees that haven’t been trimmed in 25 or 30 years are finally getting the attention they deserve.

Streets and Sanitation Commissioner Cole Stallard said Friday his crews have trimmed 53,188 trees since Jan. 1. That’s a 172% improvement over the 19,525 trees trimmed during the same period a year ago.