CONTROLLING EROSION ALONG HIGHWAYS WITH VEGETATION OR OTHER PROTECTIVE COVER

Construction operations in highway corridors disturb the natural vegetation and land contours causing potential erosion sites if left denuded. Minimizing erosion on these areas is based on the principles of maximizing water infiltration and reducing water runoff obtainable with rough and stair-step grading to establish vegetative cover quickly. Rough grading is augmented temporarily by mulches until fast growing temporary canopies develop. Establishing and developing desirable vegetative covers depends on grading and soil preparation, soil amendments, mulches, and changing seed mixtures with seasons. Woodfiber at 750 lbs/A as a tacking agent for straw has provided a persistent mulch for winter seedings that is equal to or better than asphalt at 300 gal/A. The manipulation of these managements, through plant succession, leads to the development of a near maintenance free vegetation that needs little mowing and little or no fertilizer as with crownvetch, flat pea, and sericea. Harsh environments often have partial vegetative covers and multi-step seeding and fertilization is required to develop protective vegetative canopies. Adequate soil amendments applied to a properly prepared seedbed eliminate the need for topsoil which is often of poor quality. Sparsely vegetated grass slopes may be eliminated by overseeding with legumes, phosphorus, lime, and mulches in favorable seeding seasons.

• 
• Record URL:
  • https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/18865
• Corporate Authors:

  Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg

  Department of Agronomy
  Blacksburg, VA  United States  24061

  Virginia Highway and Transportation Research Council

  Charlottesville, VA  United States 

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590

  Virginia Department of Highways

  Traffic and Planning Division, 1221 East Broad Street
  Richmond, VA  United States  23219
• Authors:
  • Wright, D L
  • Perry, H D
  • Blaser, R E
• Publication Date: 1975-8-31

Media Info

• Pagination: 82 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Calcium oxide; Construction; Construction management; Erosion control; Fertilization; Fibers; Grading; Highways; Infiltration; Legumes; Maintenance; Mulches; Phosphorus; Plant growth; Plants; Runoff; Seeds; Slopes; Soil stabilization; Straw; Vegetation; Wood
• Old TRIS Terms: Construction operations; Fertilization; Grading (Earthworking); Grading earthworking; Leguminous plants; Water entry; Wood fibers
• Subject Areas: Construction; Design; Environment; Geotechnology; Highways; Hydraulics and Hydrology; Maintenance and Preservation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00151756
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA/VA-77 Final Rpt., VHTRC-77-R17
• Files: NTIS, NTL, TRIS, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Apr 27 1977 12:00AM