Chicago family frustrated that dead tree still not removed after three years of "killing cars"
Chicago family frustrated that dead tree still not removed after 4 years of "killing cars"
Chicago family frustrated that dead tree still not removed after 4 years of "killing cars"
Chicago family frustrated that dead tree still not removed after 4 years of "killing cars"
A family in the Old Irving Park neighborhood said a dead tree has crushed countless cars, nearly fallen on people, and is a danger to the community, and it happened again during Thursday night's storms.
The family said they have reported the problems to the city over the last three years but haven't gotten much help.
Thursday's storms brought down branches and trees all across Old Irving Park.
"It's basically a war zone around here," Gwen Rutledge said.
At her son's house on Tripp Avenue, Rutledge one tree has been a major danger for years.
"We are standing in front of the dead tree that's been killing cars the last three years," she said.
Rutledge's granddaughters and her daughter-in-law, Andrea Dawkins, live at the home the tree is in front of.
"Four or five cars in the span of a couple years, and we have repeatedly made reports to the alderman to ask them to come out," Dawkins said.
One of those reports was made last winter, after a massive branch nearly fell on Dawkins' husband while he was shoveling snow. They said the city did nothing afterward.
The Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation said they are currently responding to 2,200 weather-related emergencies, but will remove the dead tree on Tripp Avenue in the next couple weeks.
Dawkins said she will believe it when she sees it.
"We've been given dates in the past, and we have blown right by those dates, and the tree remains," she said.
Arborists confirmed the tree is dead.
The city said, while in the past they relied on 311 calls for trimming 30,000 trees a year, now they are doing "area trimming" to be proactive rather than reactive.
The department works with the alderpersons of each ward to get trees trimmed regardless of whether there has been a 311 call. The department now trims 90,000 trees a year.
"If they would come through and get rid of them instead of constantly trimming them, we'd be good," Rutledge said.
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