Yesterday, crews from contractor Trees of Hawai'i buzzed off the branches of the towering trees first, working from the top down in a heavy morning rain. The bigger trunk pieces were held in place by a sling on a boom truck until they were sawed away and lowered to a truck.

"Everything was smooth," said city Parks and Recreation director Lester Chang, whose department oversees urban forestry. He said the cost of removal of three of the trees was about $10,000, but he did not have the final cost for the entire project.

Officials said Trees of Hawai'i was hired because of its track record and experience removing trees near power lines.

Mayor Mufi Hannemann ordered the removal of seven of the 15 trees on Beckwith Street in Manoa where Julia Engle was injured March 15. Her condition has continued to improve, though she remains in a coma, according to her family's attorney, Rick Fried.

City urban-forestry expert Stan Oka said the city works year-round to inspect trees and remove those that could pose a problem for a variety of reasons.

Meanwhile, Kunia resident Tony Sagayadoro said he's worried about the trees that line Kahakea Street near his house after one fell on his car Wednesday night, shortly after he and his family got home.

Sagayadoro said a 25-foot tree crashed onto his two-door Saturn, shattering the windshield and denting the driver's-side door.

Although fixing the car is an expense and inconvenience, he's most worried that somebody could get hurt. "We don't want another family suffering like what that family's going through," he said, referring to the Engles.

Sagayadoro said he wants the city to inspect another two dozen trees on the busy street to make sure they're safe. "We love trees, but the safety has to come first," he said.

City spokesman Bill Brennan said the city removed the fallen tree, checked others nearby and found "no imminent danger." He said crews determined it was an isolated incident brought on by high winds.