Truck strikes, damages street tree, closing upper Haight Street to traffic [Updated]

Truck strikes, damages street tree, closing upper Haight Street to traffic [Updated]Photo: Camden Avery/Hoodline
Camden Avery
Published on February 20, 2019

The 1500 block of Haight Street, from Ashbury to Clayton, has already been closed to street traffic for construction on the Upper Haight transit improvement and pedestrian realm project. Now, the 1600 block of Haight, from Clayton to Cole, is closed as well, following an unexpected arboreal mishap.

Shortly before 10 a.m., a truck struck and cracked an Australian blackwood tree in front of Om Indian Cuisine (1668 Haight St.) One of the tree's limbs was split, and is now dangerously hovering above a Muni bus power line, according to a San Francisco firefighter on the scene.

To address the issue, police and fire units have closed the 1600 block of Haight to vehicular traffic at Cole and Clayton streets, as well as where Belvedere meets Haight.

The firefighter on scene said SF Public Works would be on the scene shortly to trim the tree limb safely, and that the street would remain closed until then.

The damaged tree was one of a handful slated for removal by the city a year and a half ago, but the removal never occurred. We've reached out to Public Works to learn more about why the tree remains in place, and if it's still slated to be taken down. 

Update, 11:52 a.m.: City tree crews have trimmed the tree and Haight St. is back open to vehicular traffic on the 1600 block.