Syracuse, NY -- Patches of what looks like burned grass and vegetation line Interstate 81 from as far north as Sandy Creek to Syracuse. This is the latest move by the state Department of Transportation to keep the roadway looking well groomed while saving money. The DOT is using a herbicide to kill the grass and plants along the side...
Syracuse, NY -- Patches of what looks like burned grass and vegetation line Interstate 81 from as far north as Sandy Creek to Syracuse.
This is the latest move by the state Department of Transportation to keep the roadway looking well groomed while saving money. The DOT is using a herbicide to kill the grass and plants along the side of the highway instead of mowing throughout the spring and summer, said Carol Breen, speaking for the DOT.
Breen said it most often is used in areas where mowers cannot go, such as near the road where signs or guiderails are located. Using the herbicide also is safer than putting workers on mowers near cars on the roads.
The state did not have exact numbers on how much money is being saved using the herbicide. Breen said the department’s estimate is it is four times more expensive to use men mowing.
Breen said the herbicide that is used includes the active ingredient glyphosate. This also is the primary ingredient in the product Roundup, which is sold in stores for use on residential lawns. “It has low toxicity,” she said. Mowing still is done in areas where safety is a concern, such as at intersections.
Breen said this is not the first year the herbicide has been used. She said the dead vegetation along Interstate 81 is more visible this year because it was used later in the season when the plants were higher.