posted 08/01/09 08:49 PM | updated 08/01/09 09:14 PM
Views: 530 | Comments : 4 | News, etc.

Massive fallen branch blocks Aloha

By jseattle
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What is it about the intersection of Aloha and 15th? It's the newsiest intersection outside Broadway at Pike.

This giant branch fell tonight around 7:30 PM, striking a parked car but doing no damage beyond a busted taillight. Nobody was injured.

Thanks for the e-mail tips alerting us to the incident.

The branch attracted gawkers and was large enough that it must have caused quite a crash when it tumbled. A couple returning home from dinner stepped cautiously over the fallen branches on the 'safe' side of the street as they made their way through the police tape to their home. Nobody dared walk on the south side of Aloha given the precarious lean of the fallen branch.

8:55PM - A police officer at the scene says they are working on bringing an arborist to deal with the branch and assess the rest of the tree. Neighbors say it is a liquid amber tree. You might know it by the spiky seed pods it drops.
9:11PM - Both lanes of Aloha are blocked as are sidewalks on both sides of the street just west of the intersection with 15th Ave.

Given the size the branch, it will probably need to be brought down tonight so get ready for some late summer evening chainsaw buzzing in Hilltop. As for the rest of the tree, given how close to the trunk the breaks occurred, the prognosis isn't good but we'll let the arborist determine that.

Meanwhile, Aloha at 15th Ave continues to rack up news events including the drunk driver hitting a family in the crosswalk in late June and the Critical Mass vs. guy late for dinner melee just over a year ago.

This is also another in a series of falling tree incidents to plague the Hill in the past year. Is a clear cut next? The most recent big-tree, big-news event was the giant elm that threatened a $3M mansion late on a rain-soaked night in May.
9:23PM - Get ready for more falling branches. Check out this article from Van Nuys, California describing a summer of falling tree limbs brought on by a heat wave:

VAN NUYS -- The residents of Elkwood Street joke that the name of their cul-de-sac should be Falling Limbs Lane.

Every summer, the muscular branches of the hulking liquidambars planted decades ago by the city have sagged lower as they've aged and gotten heavier. But this summer's unrelenting heat has sparked an epidemic of limbs that snap off with exhaustion, crashing onto front lawns and car hoods.

(also, apparently the proper name for the variety is liquidambar tree)
10:28PM - A crew is out turning the fallen branch into chips. Looks like the street will be open later tonight. We'll see what we can find out about the fate of the rest of the tree and also look a little more deeply into the liquidambar's issues with hot and dry weather.
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Aloha & trees
Plus the tree vs truck incident last December.
Comment by linder seattle
3 months ago
( 0 votes ) Recommend this
Noise
The noise was unbearable. This was worse than the Blue Angels. Animals were scared and I had to stay in side my home for a couple of hours. We need a referendum against this like San Francisco did with the Blue Angels.
Comment by mw
3 months ago
( +1 votes ) Recommend this
RE: Noise
Hadn't considered the possibility that the Angels should be blamed for this. Good point.
Comment by jseattle
3 months ago
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And...
And now maybe the City will let me cut it...
Comment by Brian Aker
3 months ago
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