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A tree fell across my driveway and I can't get my car out — what should I do?

Answered for Speedway, Marion County.

Primarily an access and egress problem rather than a structural one. The tree has already done the thing you were afraid of. The hazard that remains is stored energy in the wood — trunk sections under bind, and spring poles among the bent saplings underneath — which is a cutting hazard, not a falling one. In Speedway — Old Speedway City (Speedway Historic District), Speedway Manor and Main Street corridor included, that's normally a storm damage cleanup job at $400–$4,000. Within days.

Why this comes up in Speedway

June 29, 2023 derecho: a 70 mph gust was measured at Indianapolis International Airport and NWS logged trees blocking Furnas Road just off South High School Road on the west side. The July 15-16, 2024 derecho clipped Marion County along its southern edge with a 58 mph measured gust at the airport and multiple downed power lines in Indianapolis, though the destructive core of that one ran north through Tippecanoe, Howard, Tipton and Hamilton counties.

Speedway's canopy

No public street-tree inventory has been published for Speedway, so species counts are UNVERIFIED. Because the residential core finished building out by the mid-1950s and has barely been rebuilt since, much of the yard canopy is likely of comparable age and large enough to close over narrow streets and 40-to-50-foot lots — an inference from build-out dates, not a measured finding. The exception is Main Street, where a town streetscape reconstruction installed all-new landscaping, so those trees are recent.

Marion County rules

Indiana has no statewide tree removal permit, and no Speedway ordinance requiring a permit to remove a tree on private property is documented in the sources reviewed. Important caveat: Speedway is an excluded town under Unigov and maintains its own municipal code separate from Indianapolis, and the full Speedway code text could not be retrieved, so the exact local text is UNVERIFIED. Marion County's zoning ordinance does state a purpose of protecting and enhancing tree cover and the countywide code carries a "Trees and Flora" chapter, but the section citations are unconfirmed and whether they bind Speedway is unconfirmed. Call the Speedway Street Department before touching anything near the street line.

The tree lawn in Speedway

The tree lawn is town right-of-way, and critically it is Speedway's right-of-way, not Indianapolis'. Speedway runs its own Street Department rather than relying on Indy DPW, so right-of-way work is cleared with the town. Who bears the cost of removing an existing tree-lawn tree is UNVERIFIED.

Crews near Speedway

Sorted by distance
Lulos Tree Service, Llc, photo 1 of 3

Lulos Tree Service, Llc

820 S Roena St, Indianapolis, IN 46241

5.015
  • Tree Removal
  • Tree Trimming
  • Stump Grinding
  • +2

Once again, Benito and his crew went above and beyond! We have used them twice for both tree removals and trimming/shaping. They are so professional…

Jenny Rollins · 2 years ago · Google

A1treeboyz of Indiana

1401 Lindley Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46241

No Google reviews yet
  • Tree Removal
  • Tree Trimming
  • Emergency Tree Service
  • +1

Listed on Google but not yet reviewed there. Ask them for recent local references when they call.

Listed direct: (317) 513-2407
GO GREEN TREE & OUTDOOR SERVICES, photo 1 of 3

GO GREEN TREE & OUTDOOR SERVICES

4484 N Vinewood Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46254

5.039
  • Tree Removal
  • Tree Trimming
  • Stump Grinding
  • +1

Jesus and his crew did a fantastic job for a fair price! A free quote was provided and the job was started the next week in one day with excellent…

Nikki · 2 months ago · Google
Condados tree service, photo 1 of 3Photo author: Pedro condado

Condados tree service

5150 Mecca St, Indianapolis, IN 46241

5.021
  • Tree Removal
  • Tree Trimming
  • Stump Grinding
  • +2

Condados Tree Service was able to come out and give me a free quote and put me in their calendar immediately to get an extremely large tree removed…

Ashe Amos · a year ago · Google
SavATree - Tree Service & Lawn Care, photo 1 of 3Photo author: Ken K

SavATree - Tree Service & Lawn Care

5050 Freyn Dr, Indianapolis, IN 46254

4.8529
  • Tree Removal
  • Tree Trimming
  • Stump Grinding
  • +2

Henry, arborist, quoted my job and pointed out a damaged cherry tree two feet from my house I hadn’t seen. I wanted a company with the right…

Roberta Arsenault · 2 months ago · Google
Broad Ripple Tree Service, Inc, photo 1 of 3Photo author: Samuel Jacobs

Broad Ripple Tree Service, Inc

6565 Coffman Rd Bldg D, Indianapolis, IN 46268

4.454
  • Tree Removal
  • Tree Trimming
  • Stump Grinding
  • +2

I was thoroughly impressed with the BR Tree Service team that came out recently, braving the harsh cold (though thankfully it was sunny) to trim my…

Shannon Rogers · 6 months ago · Google

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