Roadside Management

The functional requirements of a transportation facility, and its neighbors’ needs, dictate roadside management activities as part of the total highway maintenance program. Aesthetic improvement is a no-cost fringe benefit. The roadside is defined as the area between the outside edge of a shoulder and the right-of-way boundary. The median strip on multilane highways and interchange areas are included. The Washington Department of Transportation manages the roadside, either constructed or natural, as a public resource. Four methods of vegetation control are discussed; special emphasis is given to chemical control. Three work zones and separate treatments for each are identified. Planning and timely accomplishments are the keys to effective long-range vegetation management. Roadside maintenance managers must be trained to recognize the roadside as a resource and learn to manage it in the most efficient and effective way. Field-level employees must be well trained before the planned program can be implemented.