PRSR 10-12-1994 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Feb. 8, 1983 BIKEWAYS -42_ methods may be found in the Mn/DOT "Standard Specifi- X. MAINTENANCE - • cation for Highway Construction", current edition sec- tions 1717, 1803, 2105 and 2575. Maintenance of a bicycle qty, after it has been constructed, is an important factor for the successful operation and usage of the facility by cyclists. Poor main- IX. VEGETATION CONTROL tenance resulting in the accumulation of sand, gravel, broken glass, branches, etc., on the facility or development Control of vegetation is generally considered to be of potholes, corrugations and other rough surface con- the responsibility of maintenance forces, however,in order ditions will cause cyclists to avoid the facility. The result to provide better control it should also be considered may be that the facility becomes a liability rather than during design and construction. an asset to the controlling agency. Therefore, the respon- sibility for maintenance of the facility must be established The following are examples of vegetation control prior to construction. Normally, if the facility is located methods which may be provided for or carried out during on the highway shoulder the maintenance of the facility the design and construction of bikeways. will be the responsibility of appropriate highway agency. If the facility is separated from the roadway the main- 1. Placement of a general herbicide (such as Urox tenance of the facility will be the responsibility of the Liquid or Oxy Monobor-Chlorate) under asialt paving, appropriate local or other governmental agency. These herbicides will prevent vegetative growth from pene- trating the asphalt paving for a number of years. It is quite Although the designer is not responsible for mainten- common for thin bituminous surfaces with shallow sub- ance, there are a number of factors that can be incor- surface treatment, such as walking trails, to be ruined porated into the design which will facilitate the necessary by vegetation, maintenance operations. The following is a partial check- list of items to be considered during design: 2. Requiring the contractor to control noxious weeds during construction. The following nine weeds have been 1. Is the facility of sufficient width (especially off designated noxious weeds on a state wide basis. road bikeways) to accommodate maintenance vehicles? • Canada Thistle Sow Thistle 2. Is the structure thickness of the facility adequate to Bull Thistle Musk Thistle support maintenance or emergency vehicles? Plumeless Thistle Wild Hemp Poison Ivy Leafy Spurge 3. Has access to the facility for maintenance or emer- Field Bindweed gency vehicles been provided (especially on off-road bike- ways)? The Agricultural Weed Law of Minnesota requires the control of at least these nine weeds. In the prepara- 4. Has sufficient clearing or grubbing been provided for lion of plans and provisions for the construction of bike- adequate sight distance and horizontal and vertical clear- ways the responsibility for control of these noxious weeds ances? during construction can be delegated to the contractor. 5. Have adequate cross slopes, drainage structures and 3. Selective vegetation removal should be required in ditches been provided to insure good drainage? order to remove low hanging branches and other vege- tative growth which has encroached onto the bikeway. 6. Are designed plantings in locations that will not These encroachments may reduce the cyclist's sight dis- become a hazard or create sight distance problems in the tance and can cause personal injury to the cyclist. future. 7. Have "maintainable" side slopes been planned? • 8. Have driveways and intersecting roadways been paved beyond the bikeway (10 feet or more) to minimize amounts of gravel and dirt dropped on the bikeway by by crossing motor vehicles? The above checklist is not a complete list but does give some of the items to be considered during the design Ali stage. The designer may wish to contact maintenance per-MIII for additional items. •