'Stumped': Man turns to duct tape to keep split tree from falling while waiting on city

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) - When one Richmond, Virginia, resident was "stumped" over what to do about an unsafe tree near his home, he turned to duct tape to keep the tree upright while he waits for action from the city.

It's a sticky situation. You have to see it to "be-leaf" it. 

Ed Williamson noticed what he thinks is an elm tree splitting down the middle about a month ago. To try and keep it from falling, he got crafty and wrapped it in duct tape.

"It's holding the tree together ... Not really," Williamson joked when speaking to Nexstar's WRIC on Tuesday.

Williamson's not exactly sure why the tree began to split, but said he thinks it's because one side is heavier than the other and has more branches.

In addition to the tape, Williamson added a sign to warn people about parking underneath it.  

"It doesn't seem to stop people from parking there," he said.

Williamson has lived in his home with his wife since 2008 and said he remembers when the tree was planted. It grew so much over the years that he feels it could be unsafe. 

He told WRIC he's not just concerned about cars.

"Well, if it falls, it's gonna fall on these three houses," Williamson said, pointing to his and his neighbors' homes.

Williamson said he and his neighbor alerted the City of Richmond about the tree in hopes of getting it chopped down. 

According to city records, the first request was submitted by his neighbor on Aug. 12, who also made a call Aug. 22. Then, a third request was submitted on Monday, Sept. 2 by Williamson himself.  

He went out on a limb and marked the trunk with a red marker where the tree initially split to keep track of it. But the problem splintered as the duct tape around it keeps getting tighter and tighter - a sign that the split is growing. 

"I don't go to sleep worrying about it, but ... you know, every time you come out you see the split and it's gotten worse," Williamson said.

The city told WRIC that the tree is on a removal list, but it can't confirm how long it will be before someone can actually come by.