“For many years, flooding concerns have existed under the East Avenue Bridge, and during heavy storms, the area has experienced significant flooding. To mitigate future flooding, the CT Department of Transportation (CTDOT) incorporated drainage improvement plans as part of the East Avenue Roadway Improvements Project. CTDOT’s plans include the installation of a new drainage pipe connected to the existing culvert under the island at Cemetery Street, where the oak tree currently stands. Unfortunately, these plans require the removal of the tree to complete the work.

The removal raised concerns among the Mayor, City leaders and many residents in East Norwalk and across the City, and understandably so. The City has a strict policy for removing trees, and our goal is to preserve and add to our tree canopy across the City as much as possible. Accordingly, in the past few years, the City has invested over $1 million in planting trees across Norwalk.

At Mayor Rilling’s request, CTDOT temporarily paused the drainage portion of the project to allow the City time to develop and propose alternative plans to save the tree. Over the past two months, City officials worked diligently to find alternative ideas. Through this work, the Department of Public Works and the Department of Traffic, Mobility and Parking, in coordination with consultants, were able to develop an alternate design that would have allowed the tree to remain in place.

Unfortunately, we were recently advised that CTDOT will not approve the City’s proposed alternative plan. Since Cemetery Street is a state road, the City needs CTDOT’s approval for any design modification. Without their approval, the City is unable to implement the alternative plan and, therefore, the tree will have to be removed, which is very disappointing.

While the tree will be removed in the near future, the City will continue to look for areas in East Norwalk and elsewhere to plant additional trees.”

Please see the following statement from Mayor Rilling. “I strenuously disagree with CTDOT’s decision. I want to thank every resident who spoke out in support of preserving the tree. We know how much this tree means to the community, and we did everything we could to avoid this outcome. Our team worked tirelessly to propose an alternative plan to CTDOT to try to save the tree, but unfortunately, our proposal was not approved.”