Guide to Increasing and Sustaining Native Flora in Roadside Vegetation

Many state departments of transportation (DOTs) have struggled to manage roadside vegetation in a cost-effective manner that also fosters vigorous and diverse native plant communities, including blooming species. Diverse vegetation on roadsides can support operational, environmental, and social values, including valuable pollinator habitat and other ecosystem services. A 2019 Nebraska study (NDOT Roadside Vegetation Establishment and Management) highlights the need to balance ecological, operational, and cost concerns. Research is needed to better understand and develop practical, environmentally responsible strategies to increase and sustain native plant diversity in roadside vegetation. This research should examine relevant factors such as soil conditions, plant species selection, seed quality, herbicide application, and scenic value. The objective of this project is to develop a guide for state DOTs to maintain safe, efficient, and cost-effective vegetation diversity practices. At a minimum, the guide should provide a summary of suggested practices and resources for state DOTs tied to climatic/ecologic regions, and should be supported by a field use document.

• Record URL:
  http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=5549
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Contract to a Performing Organization has not yet been awarded.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $375000
• Contract Numbers:

  Project 25-69

• Sponsor Organizations:

  National Cooperative Highway Research Program

  Transportation Research Board
  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001

  American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)

  444 North Capitol Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Project Managers:

  Brooks, Michael

• Performing Organizations:

  University of Minnesota, Minneapolis

  Center for Transportation Studies
  Minneapolis, MN  United States 
• Principal Investigators:

  Watkins, Eric

• Start Date: 20240909
• Expected Completion Date: 20260908
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Climatic regions; Cost effectiveness; Ecology; Native plants; Roadside flora; Seeding; State departments of transportation; Vegetation control; Wildflowers
• Subject Areas: Environment; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01904283
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
• Contract Numbers: Project 25-69
• Files: TRB, RIP
• Created Date: Jan 8 2024 4:24PM