Why mow the highway?

[Pcm]

The highways look terrible.

Every time the landscaping crews are brought in to cut the grass, they do a piss poor job. The tractors tear up the ground, they never weed whip, and they skip big portions leaving it looking half-assed.

I don't understand why they had to mow the grass, anyway. Sure, it was tall, but it actually looked pretty with all the wildflowers in bloom.

Now, it just looks like, well, shit.

If the state is looking to trim the budget by mowing highways less, is there a reason why a more long term landscaping approach isn't being explored? Planting more trees and bushes would virtually end having to mow the highways in 5 years. Of course, the bushes would have to be trimmed once annually around signage, but that would be about all the care required. Plus, more green life along the highway would create a natural [[mildly-effective) sound barrier for the neighborhoods bordering said highway. Which, of course, would double as a sight-barrier so the out of towners [[ahem, journalists) can stop using their ride in from Metro Airport seeing burnt out homes as the intro to the next editorial about the fall of the auto industry.

Just a thought.

[Patrick]

75 and 94 especially....maybe they can initiate some sort of adopt an expressway program if the don't already have one?

[Retroit]

I agree. I actually like the grass uncut [[seriously). I could see cutting a strip adjacent to the road or by entrance ramps for safety sake, but otherwise, I see no reason to cut the rest. Maybe they could mix in some wildflowers for some color.

[Sstashmoo]

Price reflects quality. I would assume the reason for having to keep it cut is safety. The grass is pretty now, when it dries out it's a fire hazard.

[mjs]

I also like it uncut and think trees would like nice, but rats also like tall grass and at those speeds, a tree or branch in the road can ruin your day pretty quickly.

[d.mcc]

if you plant drought resistant native species that are used to Michigan climates, you would save a ton of money every year in landscaping...

[Lorax]

Most progressive cities have permanent plantings that require no watering, and look great. We do it here in parts of Florida with tropical plants. Michigan can do it too with various ground covers

Has anyone ever tried to kill Vinca? Plant that stuff and it will live forever.

[mjs]

I sometimes wonder why are lawns composed of grass. I'm no horticulturist, but why not clover? Save the effort of watering it and mowing it. I imagine they could design weed and feed that targets everything but clover. I'd like to try it, but fear my neighbors would think I was nuts. Talk about something that could help the environment.

[Bobl]

if you plant drought resistant native species that are used to Michigan climates, you would save a ton of money every year in landscaping...

Sure makes sense to me. Another poster suggests clover. The key words are native species.
Why have we been using grass that requires watering and frequent trimming, and poses a fire hazard when it dries, anyway?

[1KielsonDrive]

PCM, thanks for your timely thoughts. I was on I-94 through Detroit yesterday and it looked like crap, just as you'd described it. As usual, I thought 'why don't they just leave it alone'? I was in Wisconsin a couple of years ago and they cut minimally along the shoulders and in the median area. Just enought to clear an area for vehicles to pull off and away from traffic. It looked great. Minimal cutting would save money, energy and probably be better for the environment.

[lilpup]

I mowed freeways for a few summers while in college. The state standard as I recall was 15 feet off the shoulders and all of the median spaces, no more than 4 [[or maybe 6) inches high. The reason huge sections go unmowed is because they are too muddy, the soil is too loose, or the area is not really accessible with the usual equipment. One moron on our crew buried his tractor axle deep in mud right next to an overpass support to the point that we couldn't get it out and had to call a tow truck to winch it. It's hazardous enough out there without taking extra risks. Often times the grass was higher than the front of the farm tractors we used and we were essentially driving blind [[and there's a ton of crap out there to hit - deer carcasses, bed springs, left-behind construction signs...). Weed whipping is impractical.

Oh, yeah - those sections that have a wall at the bottom instead of sloping all the way down to the shoulder - mowing those is scary as hell because if you lose it you're going over and potentially into the road. At least on the slopes to the shoulder you'll stop sliding when you hit the shoulder [[been there, done that).

[jt1]

Sounds like a perfect job for community service for non-violent offenders. The state/city has no money to house prisoners or maintain services.

Let's use community service for non-violent offenders as a means to address both.

[MIRepublic]

The media did some rather thorough stories on this two weeks ago.

Michigan Cuts Roadside Mowing

[vetalalumni]

Artificial turf, or some sort of landscaping not requiring [[much) maintenance.

[Baselinepunk]

Pretty simple, really. All of that stuff will dry out in the coming month [[July is the lowest amount of precip for summer) and that first moron that flicks a cig butt out the window will cause a roadside fire. Y'all remember them from recent summers past when even cars pulled off to the side of the road would ignite dry brush from the catalylitic converters. Also, one spark from the mowers would start something.

We've had a good amount of rain this year; everything it up and tall. If it dries out ... look out; Californ I YEAH!

[Gistok]

Thanks PCM... I was thinking the same thing today.... I was driving down I-94 and the freeway roadside looks like a hay field waiting for the bailing machine to come thru. It looks pathetic!

And even worse are all the places where the grass has eroded away leaving large brown swaths of dirt.

[Baselinepunk]

That's worse? How about all the chopped up litter that gets scattered when they mow?

There is no real good solution. Pave it, all the water drain off faster and the damn freeways will all be flooded out like Outer Drive during a Spring sprinkle. Let it grow and risk another "Motor City's Burning".

[MIRepublic]

I find the state's excuses for this disingenuous. While we are far from healthy, fiscally, there are state budgets even worse off than our own [[and, today, it was revealed that there are quite a few), and they provide for their DOT's.

We must find a better way of funding MDOT, period. Our bad economy simply isn't the full story [[or maybe even most of it) for our bad roads.

[Blarf]

Fire hazard seems to be the only reason to mow the grass. Otherwise it's a waste of money.

[lilpup]

That's worse? How about all the chopped up litter that gets scattered when they mow?

There is an unbelievable amount of garbage along the freeways. In the past there's been coordination between the volunteer adopt-a-road groups and the state in that they try to get things picked up about a week before the mowing but even then there's just a tremendous amount of junk.

It was funny, if smelly, near the Pine Knob exits with all the beer bottles popping when hit. One could easily envision all the empties getting tossed from the cars.

[MIRepublic]

Fire hazard seems to be the only reason to mow the grass. Otherwise it's a waste of money.

That, and the considering that not every highway or state road is a depressed or elevated freeway thus you can have grass so tall in many locations that it obstructs the clear view of drivers and pedestrians, alike. Yes, often times, this is an issue of public safety.

[d.mcc]

That's worse? How about all the chopped up litter that gets scattered when they mow?

There is no real good solution. Pave it, all the water drain off faster and the damn freeways will all be flooded out like Outer Drive during a Spring sprinkle. Let it grow and risk another "Motor City's Burning".

Most natural materials and ground cover do a better job of mitigating stormwater than most drainage and conveyance systems do. Why must man try to improve on what mother nature already does pretty damn well to begin with?

[Lansingfire]

Not sure about the city, but futher out I wish they would mom more so I can see the deer better.

[Danny]

The Wayne County Government under Ficano has a over $300 million dollar budget shortfall that yard clean up and future snow removal had be cut. This summer, the grass will NOT be cut. Wild wheat thorns and thistles will fill the landscape of our freeways and highways. You can see it growing out of control. This winter snow removal will only be on the freeways and less on main county roads. Each individual city will have to either chip in for remove snow or deal with it.

Citizens of Wayne county, Ficano has FAILED to maintain and ease the fiscal quarterly budget. When next election year comes. Vote for a NEW LEADER who would try his or her best to bring back these sevices. Ficano has cheated the folks of Wayne County and we can't take it anymore.


WORD FROM THE STREET PROPHET

I would like to see the People of Wayne county bring out their John Deeres and lawn movers and pitch in cut the weeds and seed the new landscape. I would like to see the People of Wayne County bring out the plows and snowblowers and remove the snow off out sidewalks and roads.

for Neda Soltani

[dtowncitylover]

Was anyone on the Chrysler earlier today? MDOT was out there cleaning up the grass for about a 2 mile strech in Detroit.