Citation

Am. City Cty. 1998; 113(8): 17-18.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1998, Penton Media)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

When the Missouri Department of Transportation (DOT) repaved a 3-mi (5-km) stretch of Route 370, the project involved land along the Missouri River floodplain. Contractors needed to dredge fill material out of the riverbed to raise the highway elevation. However, the sandy fill material, while minimizing susceptibility to flooding, increased the threat of erosion. In response, the DOT decided to install a 5-ft-wide (1.5-m) transition strip of dirt adjacent to the repaved surface and plant grass seeds. A native grass seed mix was used in conjunction with Curlex I Quickgrass, an erosion control blanket manufactured from biodegradable Aspen wood fibers and polypropylene netting, which protects the seed from rain and runoff, reduces the likelihood of burnout, and increases moisture retention, thus fostering seed germination and growth.