Link to list of great street trees:
http://www.fairmountpark.org/RecommendedTreeList.asp

Thornless Honeylocust
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&gbv=2&biw=898&bih=574&tbs=isch%3A1&sa=1&q=Thornless+Honeylocust&btnG=Search&aq=f&aqi=g1&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=
Amur Maple
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&gbv=2&biw=898&bih=574&tbs=isch%3A1&sa=1&q=Amur+Maple&aq=f&aqi=g6g-m2&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=
Silver Linden
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&gbv=2&biw=898&bih=574&tbs=isch%3A1&sa=1&q=Silver+Linden&aq=f&aqi=g2g-m1&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=

There are a huge number of dead or failing trees in the city. Fallen limbs should be removed immediately but live trees should take a back seat until the other work is done.

Tree Hugger - huh? You want we should wait until every remaining limb on that tree falls off before getting the tree removed or checked? It's pure luck that neither of the huge branches that fell already didn't hurt someone. My kid and I walked under that tree maybe an hour before the branch fell yesterday.

I see your point about dead and failing trees, but this IS a dangerous failing tree, due for immediate attention.

Actually I was not telling you what should happen I was telling you what would most likely happen--my guess. I suggest you stay out from under it now that you know what it can do. Looking at the photo I see just one limb that is anchored near the area where the last limb was attached. Other than that, the other limbs are not big enough or horizontal enough to be an immediate hazard--my guess. The trees do not do well in wind and we have had plenty, so be careful around Bradford Pear trees on windy days. My next question is this your tree or your neighbors tree? If it ever gets removed you have certain avenues you can take (provided this is front of your house) to get a new tree put there that you promise to take care of. Trees are trees and if we did not have tree huggers that child of yours would be growing up in a carbon dioxide enriched world--not that we having avoided that from happening. Maybe that tree has dropped a limb or two but it is still offering benefit to your world. I'm done.

Yo, Tree Hugger, my bad. I misread your "should" (as in, "live trees should take a back seat") as a "most likely will". This particular tree should not take a back seat. Both branches that fell came down without warning. Now we know the tree is rotten in the middle, and future branches will fall at some random time. It's a bit rich saying people should just avoid the tree, given that the city is now aware that it's a hazard. The ball's in the city's court now.

I do appreciate your tree-hugginess. Eld St has planted a couple of dozen new street trees over the last few years, with enthusiastic help from the children on the street. We're good to our trees, and they're good to us. Sometimes we even hug them too. Just not the ones that are falling apart and fixing to kill us!

Listen...people who live in a city must understand that it's not the same as living in the "burbs."
The city has limited resources and therefore will not respond to what they consider "frivilous."
I see from the photo that a wire is down from the limb so you might try calling the electric company instead.

The point in getting this tree removed is to prevent damage, and should not be viewed as a frivolous request by the city. If a car had been parked underneath the tree's first dropped limb, the limb would have crushed the hood or top of the car. Drivers on Eld were lucky that no cars were parked or driving beneath the tree at the time.

I appreciate trees -- trees are one of the great aspects of Eld and East Rock. But the city should be proactive about this particular tree, and not wait until more limbs get too heavy for the it, and cause damage. I assume the city would not pay to repair cars or property damaged by the tree, so they should at least inspect the tree and determine when it should be removed.

The US Forest Service has deemed the Bradford an invasive species http://www.na.fs.fed.us/fhp/invasive_plants/weeds/callery_pear.pdf
Other sites mention that when the the tree begins losing limbs, the trunk is weakened and the tree should be removed.
http://plainfieldtrees.blogspot.com/2007/07/bradford-pear-beautiful-but-breakable.html
http://www.lazyssfarm.com/Inquiring%20Minds/bradford_pears.htm

I hope this discussion raises awareness about Bradford Pear's lack of suitability as a street tree. Even if this tree is not removed, I hope the city (and organizations) will choose to plant other species in the future.

Thank you for your reply to my comment. I was unaware that the Bradford was deemed
invasive by the National Forest Service. I'm happy to know that a citizen is so well informed
about such matters. Perhaps you could bring this up at a City Council Meeting? Members of
the council and city maintenance people need to be informed. If they were told that this specie of tree
was known to harbor insects, I think they might make it a priority. Are these the trees that are
also known as "Flowering Pear trees"?

Parks Department assigned this issue to Trimming Priority 2

This issue was recategorized from Parks Request to Tree Trimming.

Acknowledged.