Show Ii tr S r t r f L J I to w wJ lib a J r 1 4 1 ti 7 t wt A 1 t V y 34 1 s' s sl T l I D ac 1 1 1 t f t f 1 1 r I rr r w 1 11 t n nt x 1 C 1 7 1 H HIGHWAY HW A Y EROSION CONTROL WORKING GWm WELL I i The Utah Highway Department believes its erosion control program is II successful By planting trees shrubs and grass it has tried to halt haIt erosion M. M The Highway Department has had considerable success in its program of erosion control and beautification along the slopes of its Interstate system and major highways ACCORDING to Henry C. C Helland Director of Highways it could be much better if the cities counties and private organizations could assist in paying water and maintenance costs The Highway Department has proposed this but as yet has not found many takers in helping helping help help- ing to finance the maintenance ance of landscaping beyond minimum erosion control re- re WE HAVE HAD considerable considerable considerable consider consider- able interest and appreciation expressed by cities cities' with regard regard regard re re- gard to landscaping of highways highways highways high high- ways within their areas stated Mr Helland HeIland but asyet as asyet asyet yet no one has offered to pick up part of the check when it comes to maintaining maintaining maintaining maintain maintain- ing these beautification Since the Interstate system began the highway department department department depart depart- ment has inaugurated a policy of planting trees shrubs and grasses that are native to the he area area and which will thrive with witha a minimum amount of water and care TYPICAL OF this was the i early oi of the ule area near the Beck Street overpass on 15 1 which was planted with dryland grasses in 1960 This along with other programs of typical nature has served the purpose of providing erosion control along the slopes of the freeway Pipelines were installed on Interstate Highway 15 from South to North in Salt Lake City These pipelines provide water facilities for trees and shrubs that have been planted along the sides of the freeway However in I Iother other areas where freeway I construction has been completed completed completed com com- the State Highway Department Department Department De De- De- De has to depend upon rainfall to keep plants thriving thriving thriving ing and progressing IN SALT LAKE CITY I the Highway Department has an arrangement arrangement arrangement ar ar- ar- ar to water these freeway areas at Salt Lake City water rates which are approximately 14 cents per cubic feet for the first cubic feet of water and 13 cents cents per cubic feet for the next cubic feet The Highway Department pays for the costs of connection like every other water user Mr Helland indicated that I I approximate costs for complete complete com com- I landscaping on the freeway freeway freeway free free- way is about per mile THIS IS for installation of and beautify freeways f pipes shrubs and grasses only omy and does not include regular maintenance such as frequent watering cleaning out of weeds pruning etc A typical sample of the cost of water can be noted in the section from East to Parleys Parleys Parleys Par Par- leys Canyon Interchange on 1 I For 1876 acre feet per year for a program of watering watering watering water water- ing plants on only about ten per cent of the area this would cost 1200 per year For a per cent watering program using acre feet per year this would cost approximately THIS IS BASED on the quantity of water used in sprinkling the slopes at a rate of once every two weeks for six months The cost of labor and maintaining the irrigation I system are not included All AIl factors considered we believe that our landscaping program has been very successful successful successful suc suc- suc- suc stated Mr Helland Of Of necessity we must continue continue continue con con- our current policy of landscaping primarily for forthe forthe forthe the protection of our slopes and we are hopeful that this will contribute to the beautification beautification beautification beau beau- of our highways WE ARE ALSO hoping that our cities state agencies es and others who are interested inthe inthe in inthe the highway beautification will come forth and participate fi financially financially fi- fi financially in some of the costs of highway beautification Landscaping costs on highways highways high high- ways will be an increasing expenditure expenditure expenditure ex ex- since the program greatly continues for the safety and comfort of the motorist Whenever possible the Highway Highway High- High way vay way Department endeavors to plant grasses that can grow with minimum of care and efforts efforts efforts ef ef- ef- ef forts be made to complete a seeding program with a major construction project THIS LANDSCAPING program program program pro- pro gram is coordinated by Emery t M. M Larson Landscape Architect Architect Architect Archi Archi- I Johathan Jonathan H. H Palmer Designer Designer Designer De De- signer and Laird Larson Construction Con Con- n Coord Coordinator u. c |