HONOLULU -- The state wants to make sure trees do not come crashing down on people as they drive on the Pali Highway.

So crews will begin removing or trimming about five dozen trees along the scenic stretch of road starting next week Monday.

State officials want to be certain that something like this does not happen again.

A tree came down in the middle night in January on the Pali Highway, hitting a car and a truck. No one was injured.

Now, workers will cut down or trim trees deemed high-risk by a state contracted arborist.

"The amount of trees that are being taken out might sound like a lot, but there're thousands of trees on this roadway. So, I think when the job is completed, it will be difficult to see what was taken out and what wasn't," arbor consultant Steve Nimz said.

One environmental group said it will make sure that is exactly what happens.

The Outdoor Circle went to the site to make sure that no tree is needlessly removed. Members wanted to make sure trees that need to be removed are done to protect the health and safety of the people.

"Is there any reason to think the state would to do otherwise?" KITV reporter Dan Meisenzahl asked.

"The state has at track record of precipitously removing trees," said Bob Loy of the Outdoor Circle.

Loy referred to last summer when state crews sparked an outcry after cutting down dozens of trees along the H-2 Freeway in Mililani.

This time, the state has kept the environmental group in the loop from the start.

"We're involved from the beginning to try to prevent what happened at H-2 from happening again," Loy said.

A similar project started late last year involving 320 trees along the Likelike Highway went down without any outcry.

A possible inconvenience is that state crews will be shutting down about a quarter stretch of the Pali Highway at a time during the work. Teams will work between rush hours from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.