Citation

Adams MC. Transp. Res. Rec. 1977; 647: 20-23.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1977, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences USA, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

In recent years, significant design changes have greatly improved North Carolina's ability to maintain its roadsides despite rising costs. Generally, flatter slopes are maintained near the travelway and the cut slopes of drainage channels, thus facilitating slide removal and maintenance of storm drainge systems. Drainage berms across and down the backs of cut slopes have increased their stability and thus reduced maintenance. Low-growing shrubs and plants at bridge ends reduce the effort required to keep these areas stable and presentable. Detailed erosion control contract specifications and construction standards that include permanent and life-of-contract measures increase the stability of slopes, minimize obstruction of drainage structures caused by erosion, and consequently reduce related maintenance. Ditches are being paved or lined with jate mesh or fiberglass roving to minimize erosion, thus greatly reducing or eliminating the need for back sloping and ditch pulling. Silt detention basins, ditch checks and silt fences are being left in place after a project is completed so that the project can stabilize itself in time, rather than have maintenance crews clean drainage structures and remove eroded materials from adjacent property. It is hoped that the cost of mowing these roadside areas may be reduced by the use of herbicides around guardrails in lieu of hand labor and the development of low-growing grasses. However, little can be done to reduce the cost of maintaining the state's rest area sites, since vandalism and increased public demand preclude reducing staff. On the other hand, little control costs seem to have been reduced by the placement of additional garbage containers on the state highway system.