ROADSIDE COVER EQUIPMENT

THE OBJECTIVES ARE TO DEVELOP AND EVALUATE IDEAS AND TO FORMULATE DESIGN PRINCIPLES AND INFORMATION LEADING TO THE PRODUCTION OF EQUIPMENT FOR MORE EFFECTIVE AND ECONOMICAL ROADSIDE DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE. AN IMMEDIATE OBJECTIVE IS TO IMPROVE EXISTING MACHINES AND DEVELOP MORE EFFECTIVE TECHNIQUES FOR THEIR USE. STUDIES OF MACHINERY PROBLEMS ARE MADE WHEN NEEDED. A SURVEY OF ALL STATE HIGHWAY AGENCIES AND TOLL ROAD AUTHORITIES PROVIDED INFORMATION ON THE TYPES OF EQUIPMENT USED FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF HIGHWAY RIGHT-OF-WAY, AND AN ASSESSMENT OF THEIR PAST PERFORMANCE, CONVENIENCE AND OVERALL PRODUCTION COST. FINDINGS OF THE VARIOUS PHASES OF THE PROJECT ARE REPORTED IN INDIVIDUAL REPORTS AND PUBLICATIONS. THE PROJECT WAS INITIATED IN 1958 BY G. E. PICKARD AT THE AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS. THE JUSTIFICATIONS FOR THE PROJECT WERE THE RAPID INCREASE OF ROADSIDE ACREAGES EXPECTED FROM THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM CONSTRUCTION AND THE FREQUENT FAILURES OF EQUIPMENT, TECHNIQUES AND FLORA BORROWED DIRECTLY FROM AGRICULTURE TO ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN ROADSIDE COVER. THE FAILURES ARE NOT SURPRISING AS THE CONDITIONS ALONG ROADSIDE RIGHT-OF-WAY ARE RADICALLY DIFFERENT FROM THOSE IN THE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION. THE COVER WAS OFTEN GROWN ON SLOPES SELDOM ENCOUNTERED IN FARM FIELDS OR PASTURE LAND, AND MOST SLOPES CONSISTED OF RAW SUBSOIL. THE SUPERHIGHWAYS PRODUCE DEEPER, LONGER AND STEEPER SLOPES THAN THOSE IN PAST CONSTRUCTIONS AND ESTABLISHING COVER HAS BECOME MORE SEVERE. THE PROJECT WAS CARRIED OUT ON 18-25 ACRES OF GRASS PER MILE OF INTERSTATE HIGHWAY PLUS AN AVERAGE OF 40 ACRES PER INTERCHANGE AND THE EFFECT WAS NOT ONLY TO FIND MODEST IMPROVEMENTS BUT ALSO TO APPROACH THE PROBLEM AS ONE WHERE NEW COVER SPECIES, TECHNIQUES AND MACHINES MIGHT BE REQUIRED.

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/hrr/1970/335/335-011.pdf
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Paper sponsored by Committee on Maintenance Equipment and presented at the 49th Annual Meeting. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Authors:
  • Butler, B Jack
  • Nave, W Ralph
  • Yoerger, Roger R
• Publication Date: 1970

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; Photos; References;
• Pagination: pp 60-71
• Monograph Title: Roadside development and maintenance
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Record
  • Issue Number: 335
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Costs; Design; Equipment; Equipment maintenance; Highways; Methodology; Production; Roadside; Roadside improvement; Slopes
• Identifier Terms: Interstate Highway System
• Uncontrolled Terms: Right of way
• Old TRIS Terms: Cover; Design information; Equipment cost
• Subject Areas: Design; Finance; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00219421
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Jun 1 1971 12:00AM