Rockefeller Center Christmas tree arrives in New York City after road trip from Maryland

By David Williams, CNN

This year’s Rockefeller Center Christmas tree got a well-earned police escort into New York City Saturday morning to cap off a lengthy road trip from Maryland.

The 79-foot-tall Norway Spruce arrived Saturday morning on a flatbed semi-trailer and the NYPD Highway Unit helped it negotiate the city streets from the highway to its final destination.

The tree, which is 46 feet wide and weighs 12 tons, was cut down on Thursday in Elkton, Maryland, for its trip to New York, according to the Rockefeller Center Facebook page. It’s the first time the tree has come from Maryland, Rockefeller Center posted.

The two-day trip was a challenge.

“We need New Jersey permits to bring it up on the turnpike, it stays overnight by the Meadowlands. We need Maryland and Delaware permits for it to travel because it’s an oversized load. It has to have special permits, special escorts — police escort, obviously — for security reasons and just to get it here safe,” New York Truck Escorts and Permits President Maureen Mandich told CNN affiliate WABC.

Workers could be seen using a large crane to lift the tree into place on Saturday morning.

It will be strung with 50,000 multi-colored LED lights on more than 5 miles of wire and then topped with a Swarovski star that weighs about 900 pounds and is covered with 3 million crystals, the Rockefeller Center website said.

The traditional tree lighting ceremony is scheduled for December 1.

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CNN’s Elizabeth Joseph contributed to this report.