highway median mowing

[laxative]

This week they started mowing ditches and highway medians here. Had ODOT crews trimming around guardrails and sign posts in the rain. What's the point? Seems like a waste of tax supported gas and labor. It looks nice but if there's no fire hazard or traffic visibility concerns it's stupid. Am I missing something? Is there another reason to mow all the ditches and medians once a month or so?

[Raven386]

so they dont look like crap. you have to think about it from the states point of view... when people drive through your town/state they dont want them seeing overgrown grass and weeds everywhere. That might make that person think that they do not take care of the other roads/areas, which would turn into them not staying for a visit or not staying permanently. Just a thought...

- And if they dont mow it, there will be a line of people there to complain about it not being mowed and it looking like crap.

[topsites]

A trashy looking median could promote littering for instance, not joking.
Long highway grass, when a disabled vehicle must pull off-road, could catch on fire.
It's work, thinking in terms of employment.

Can't think of any more right now.

[mngrassguy]

Might as well take care of it "before" it becomes a fire hazard rather then "after".

[LindblomRJ]

Keep the ditches and median for litter control, mitigate fire hazard, prevent drifting of snow if in the snow belt.

[Toy2]

Wow, ODOT does their own mowing, TxDot used to do it years ago, now its sent out to bid, one local, guy became a millionare because of this State, plus he uses all leased equipment and Mexicans, and does a crappy job, but still gets paid.

Its bid per acre......my tax dollars at work....

[rachael24]

NY does their own mowing as well as PA.

[k911lowe]

This week they started mowing ditches and highway medians here. Had ODOT crews trimming around guardrails and sign posts in the rain. What's the point? Seems like a waste of tax supported gas and labor. It looks nice but if there's no fire hazard or traffic visibility concerns it's stupid. Am I missing something? Is there another reason to mow all the ditches and medians once a month or so?
in our area(arizona) its mostly for fire danger.

[whitefrog1]

TN bids out the medians. I'm sure those guys are making some money. A friend of my fathers mows for a guy that does them. He has an 8 man crew. Gotta have alot of equipment though. I'd be interested to know how much they are actually making off them.

[Dunlaps LawnCare]

pa does there own

[TwinTurbo]

Another reason not yet mentioned is critter control. Not many critters can nest in 4" grass and not be seen. It also keeps the noxious weeds down to a minimum.