Traffic diverted when tree falls across West SL Road

Traffic on West Spring Lake Road near the Smith's Bayou bridge was diverted for more than an hour Wednesday night when a large tree branch fell across the road. Ferrysburg Public Works Director George Dunning said it appeared the tree had been weakened by ants, and the weight of the branch finally brought it down. The incident was not storm-related, he said. The branch pulled down a secondary power line, twisting a transformer partially off a utility pole and pulling a power mast off a nearby home. Officials said it looked like only two homes lost power.

Becky Vargo

Aug 25, 2011

One of those homeowners, Clark Tibbe, said he heard a “thud” when the branch hit the ground about 8:45 p.m. He noted the wire was laying across one of the vehicles in the driveway.

Traffic was able to divert through Veits Landing while the road was blocked.

A crew from the Grand Haven Board of Light & Power arrived almost an hour later and pulled the wire from the tree. Dunning and BLP employee Bob Scamehorn started cutting up the tree and removing it from the road; while another BLP employee, Ron Cook, went up in the bucket to repair the transformer.

Power was expected to be restored to the two homes sometime later in the night.