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Third Tree In As Many Weeks Falls On Merritt Parkway

NEW CANAAN, CT (WCBS 880) - Driving along the Merritt Parkway can sometimes feel like you're entering an enchanted forest.

WCBS 880's Sean Adams In Connecticut

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Old growth trees create a shaded canopy over some stretches of road, but that beauty is simultaneously a potential hazard.

Three trees have fallen in as many weeks. Three vehicles were damaged Sunday in Westport after a tree toppled across the Parkway. The week before in Fairfield, one person was hospitalized after a falling tree struck two vehicles. Three weeks ago, a tree crushed the roof of a Lincoln Town Car, killing the limo driver, during a violent rainstorm in Stamford.

In 2007, a tree hit a Volvo and killed a couple from Pelham, as their young sons watched in the back seat.

The state's Department of Transportation has said that pruning and tree removal occur daily.

They say the trees are inspected frequently, but even healthy trees sometimes come down.

Westport first selectman Gordon Joseloff backs up the DOT.

"The DOT said that they're doing the best they can. They're out everyday pruning. They also encourage what they call 'civilian spotters.' People who drive on the Merritt parkway everyday are encouraged to call in," he says.

Joseloff says it's a delicate balance, maintaining the beauty of the Merritt Parkway while keeping the road safe.

And sometimes, yes, people have called to complain that too many trees have been removed.

What do you think can be done to prevent more accidents? Sound off below...

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