Grants and Contracts Details
Description
ABSTRACT (Summary)
Vegetation management along Kentucky roadsides encompasses several management strategies
including, but not limited to, mechanical and chemical turf mowing, tree trimming and removal,
chemical and other types of weed control, turf fertilization, and desirable plant establishment and
maintenance. Each of the twelve districts across Kentucky deals with vegetation problems that
are potentially unique to that district and, therefore, each uses different management techniques
and has its own goals. A research program at the University of Kentucky will consider the
different management goals for each district along with their unique vegetation management
scenarios and assist the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Roadside Environment Branch to
develop an efficient, effective, environmentally responsible, and nationally respected vegetation
management program.
Weed control is a prominent component of any vegetation management program. Weedy plant
species, both herbaceous and woody, occur in the highway rights-of-way on all of Kentucky’s
highways. Some of these weedy species are large, robust plants while others are smaller but just
as problematic. Weedy species along the rights-of-ways inhibit vision along the road and may
increase deterioration of the roadway. Other weedy plants, such as poison hemlock, musk thistle
and johnsongrass, pose particular problems to farmlands adjacent to the right-of-way. Weed
control applications have the potential to damage desirable grass and broadleaf plants while
suppressing target vegetation. This project proposes to conduct research to provide information
on control of these troublesome weeds while monitoring non-target plants where applicable and
develop educational programs incorporating several facets of a vegetation management program
for Kentucky Transportation Cabinet employees.
An additional focus of this project is on spatial record keeping. An important aspect of roadside
vegetation control is spatial record keeping of chemical applications. The ability to
instantaneously create and store accurate digital records of when and where chemical treatments
were applied is becoming a necessary component of a roadside vegetation management system.
While the technology exists to spatially record chemical applications in agricultural field
settings, a solution does not directly exist for logging herbicide applications along roadsides.
This project will help KYTC develop a digitized spatial record keeping system.
Status | Active |
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Effective start/end date | 7/1/22 → 6/30/24 |
Funding
- KY Transportation Cabinet: $360,694.00
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