HAYDEN, Idaho — More than half a week after a large pine tree fell onto and damaged a Hayden-area house, a homeowner isn't sure when the tree will be removed.
The reason? Weight restrictions on nearby roads are preventing a large crane from traveling to her property to lift away the tree.
The tall tree fell onto Vicki Moffat's house off of East Hayden View Drive, South of Hayden Lake, on Saturday morning during high gusts. The roof above Moffat's kitchen was pierced and significantly damaged by the pine. Damage inside her home was minimal, fortunately.
“I mean, I was shocked," said Moffat of her reaction when she saw the fallen tree Saturday morning.
Moffat was away from her home at the time and no one nearby was hurt in the incident.
"This was the last tree I would have thought would have fallen in the direction it went," she said of the pine, which tree companies had previously told her was unlikely to fall.
Another tree in Moffat's backyard also fell during recent high winds and damaged a fence.
When Moffat started to inquire about having the tree removed, she discovered that load limits imposed by the local highway district were creating logistical challenges.
According to Moffat, a tree removal company she had been working with contacted a Spokane crane company and asked about having a heavy duty crane come to Moffat's home to lift the tree off her home.
“That was their biggest concern. They don’t want to damage my house anymore, they don’t want to ruin my driveway. And the crane is the best possible way," she said. Currently, the tree remains leaned against her home, but the tree removal company has trimmed off some branches.
Although the company intended to bring out the crane on Sunday, the crane would have been too heavy for some of the roads leading up to her home.
According to information on the Lakes Highway District's website, load limits were put in to place on roads surrounding Moffat's property last Thursday. A sign on 15th street, south of Moffat's neighborhood, listed a maximum load limit of 10,000 pounds on a steering axle with nine inches of minimum tire width.
Load limits are typically designed to protect roads from damage during freeze-thaw cycles.
Moffat, who said she understood the rationale behind the limits, acknowledged that a road near her home was resurfaced last summer.
“I understand that, but the situation is kind of a safety issue," she said. "I don’t feel real comfortable all the time being in my house in case something happened," Moffat said outside her home on Wednesday as snow continued to fall.
Moffat said she's not entirely sure if or when the crane would be cleared to come to her home. For now, she said she's taking the situation day by day.
“Right now we’re in the process of problem solving," she said.
An employee of Barnhart Crane and Rigging, the crane company enlisted to help Moffat, confirmed with KREM that the company was still awaiting word that they would be cleared to transport a crane to Moffat's home. The employee declined to comment further.
The Lakes Highway District did not immediately return a message left seeking comment on Wednesday.
As snow continued to fall on her damaged roof, Moffat said she was ready to see the tree removed and the situation resolved.
"This root could shift, this log cold shift. Who knows?” she said, referencing the tree leaning against her home.
Moffat added that the tree company she had been working with was considering constructing some kind of brace to place below the tree and take pressure off of her home.
"It’s not the end of the world," she remarked for the time being. “No one was hurt. That’s a good thing. I’ve been in worse situations.”