Afton Construction Project To Likely Cost City 200 Trees

AFTON, Minn. (WCCO) -- The city of Afton is starting a major construction project on Monday.

It's a case of out with the old and in with the new that's bittersweet for the town. The mayor says Afton has some difficult ecological problems.

First off, the town needs to fix septic problems it's had for years. Second, flooding issues need to be addressed.

In an effort to fix these problems, a road needs to be widened. When that happens, some 200 trees will have to be relocated or removed.

One business owner who planted the trees says he's okay with them needing to go.

"The flooding, the septic concerns and also I mean look at this, I've been shoveling these stupid sidewalks for years. They're cracking, they're horrible. Look at the road, there's no drainage system," Martin Stern, the co-owner of Squire House Gardens, said.

The mayor says he's excited for the project to start and that it's been a long time coming.