Better Roads Digital Magazine
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/115354
RoadScience Photo courtesy of WS DOT cally and economically, such as with the tourism industry." The plan constitutes a "how to" guide for the best way to manage roadsides in any given area. "Washington State has diverse climates and the highways have many neighbors, so the plans vary depending on location," the state DOT says. Echoing the mantra of the pavement preservation movement, WS DOT says "[t]he plans determine the right tool or combination of tools, for the right plant at the right place and time," adding that is the essence of an integrated vegetation management plan. WS DOT's vegetation management tools include mowing and trimming, selective use of herbicides, release of weed-eating insects, improvement of soils, re-establishment of native plants, and hand-maintenance by volunteers or contract services. Their use is articulated in regional roadside vegetation management plans for each region inside each DOT district, necessary due to the extreme variation of environments within the Evergreen State, which range from high desert to alpine to urban to coastal rain forest. Safety, Preservation in Bay State Washington State DOT – a leader in roadside vegetation management – defines different zones in the roadside, each with a different management strategy. monitoring of conditions, determination of action thresholds and the proper timing of maintenance efforts, selection of the least-disruptive control and effective revegetation tactics, and continuing evaluation. "The integrated vegetative management process provides information for the total roadside management system, which is used to analyze vegetation problems and implement long-term solutions," WS DOT says. This broad overview approach helps vegetation managers answer key questions, such as whether treatment actions are needed, where they should take place in the system, when these actions should take place, and which mix of strategies, tactics and treatments are the best to use. Very simply, roadside vegetation management involves caring for or controlling plants along the highway. "If managed properly, roadside vegetation can become self-sustaining over time and require less maintenance," WS DOT says. "This helps reduce costs and minimizes herbicide use." Vegetation, if left alone, can grow out of control and block visibility (signs, traffic, wildlife) which could endanger motorists, WS DOT says. "Weeds must be controlled to avoid impacts on the farming community and native ecosystems," it says. "Pride of ownership and the beauty of Washington State are also important factors, both aestheti26 March 2013 Better Roads Massachusetts's current Vegetation Management Plan, 2009-2013 has a primary objective of providing a safe, unobstructed roadway corridor, and preserving the integrity of the highway infrastructure. "Management of vegetation is an important element of roadside maintenance for safety and aesthetic purposes," according to the plan. "Left uncontrolled, roadside vegetation can impede normal maintenance operations, obstruct motorists' line of vision, threaten pedestrian safety and cause damage to structures such as median barrier, pavements, guard posts, drainage lines and waterways." Other objectives include provision of an aesthetically pleasing roadside, pest control, creation of wildlife habitat, and stabilization of embankments and other areas prone to erosion. The key components of Massachusetts Highway's integrated program are identification of priorities for vegetation control, implementation of controls in an environmentally sensitive manner, and monitoring of performance to check methodology. Like other states, Massachusetts is retaining use of herbicides. "Controls shall include mechanical, chemical, cultural, biological and roadside development methods," the commonwealth states, adding "[i]t shall be a goal to minimize the use of chemical controls, through minimizing areas of application, quantity of chemicals, and frequency of applications. Chemical control techniques shall be limited to use on high traffic volume, high speed interstate and