DANIEL PETERSON

Transportation Operations Supervisor II Alexandria Sub Area

MN/DOT Performance Measures:

Integrated Roadside Vegetation Management

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3

5

4

7

8 9

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MN/DOT Statistics

MN Highway Miles1: 11,933

Right-of-Way Acres2: 250,234

Acres of ‘Greenspace’: 175,000

D4 Highway Miles1: 1,824

Right-of-Way Acres: 38,036

Acres of ‘Greenspace’: 29,6001 US, State & Interstate Highways

2 Certified to GASB (Government Account Services Board)

Detroit LakesSub Area

Fergus FallsSub Area

MoorheadSub Area

AlexandriaSub Area

MorrisSub Area

Maintenance Manual Engineering Standards & Legislative Mandates

Through mid-1980’s

Maintenance Management Systems

1985-1990’s

Maintenance Business Planning

1990’s

Integrated Roadside Vegetation Management Plans (IRVM)

1997-present

D4 GPS/GIS Measurements for Noxious Weed Management

2000-2003

Management Practices of Weed Control in Roadway DitchesMn/DOT-University of MN Research Project

2004-2008

Evolution of Performance Measures for Vegetation Management

Mn/DOT’s IRVM Program

M Legal basis …1994 Amendment (Chapter 558, Section 26) to the Ground Water Act of 1989

M Directed MN DNR and MN Dept. of Ag to prepare a plan for the optimum use of sustainable agriculture and integrated pest management techniques on land owned by the state

M The above plan provides the framework for Mn/DOT IRVM plans at the local level (District or Maintenance Area)

Source: Oct ’03 IRVM Video Conference Presentation

IRVM Plan--Key Elements

Mission ”Manage roadsides with environmental stewardship, using economical methods, for

public safety and visual quality.”

M Principles

M Goals

M Components

M Guidelines

M Action Plan

M Contact Personnel

“PLANNING STAGE”- PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS

District 4’s IRVM Plan is updated each spring and defines the following:

M Mowing Rural

M Mowing Urban

M Spraying

M Tree or Brush Removal

**Mowers are set to cut vegetation at 6 inches**

Mowing and Spraying Acreage

10% (18,000)45,000Current

>5%60,000mid 80’s

>5%80,000mid 70’s

5%149,000late 60’s

Spraying AcresMowing AcresTime Period

Mowing acreage and frequency is decreasing and noxious weed and brush spraying acreage is increasing

Balance of acreage being treated with biological control and planting of native vegetation or deemed not a priority

Source: 2004 MACAL Presentation – Leo Holm (MN/DOT)

Customer SatisfactionStatewide Omnibus Survey in 1993

• Generally strong satisfaction with the appearance of roadsides—90%

• How much work should be done by Mn/DOT on roadside mowing– 62 % said the same – 28 % said more– 10 % said less– Interestingly Twin City residents preferred less

or the same amount of mowing while rural residents wanted more

Source: 2004 MACAL Presentation – Leo Holm (MN/DOT)

Customer SatisfactionStatewide Omnibus Studies 1994-2003

6.76.76.86.87.2

Keep roadside plants looking good

6.76.76.86.87.1

Eliminating weeds on roadside

02/0301/02200019961994Service

Statewide (Means)

Scale of 1 to 10 with 10=extremely good, 1=extremely poor

Mn/DOT Maintenance Division 1994 Business Planning Survey—Customer Satisfaction Study

LessLessKeeping Plants Looking Good

LessLessEliminating Weeds

MoreMoreKeeping Roads Smooth

MoreMoreClearing Roads of Ice & Snow

Importance Ratings

Spending AllocationsSERVICE

Source: Oct ’03 IRVM Video Conference Presentation

MAINTENANCE BUSINESS PLANNING

Implementation of Physical Surveys of Roadside Assets:

M Vegetation Height

M Noxious Weeds

M Litter

M Smooth Pavement

M Bare Pavement

2004

District 4

Alexandria Sub-Area1405 T.H. 27 WAlexandria, MN 563082000-2004

PROJECT DIRECTION2004

M MOUNTING GPS UNITS ON MOWERS

M MOUNTING GPS UNITS SPRAYERS

M ADDING TO THE NWM HISTORICAL DATA BASE

M COMPLETE INVENTORIES OF ALL D4 BIOLOGICAL RELEASE SITES

John Deere – 2 Gang Flail

1.7 Acres/Lane Mile

6.7 Acres/Mowing Hour

Bi-Directional – 3 Gang Flail

2.4 Acres/Lane Mile

5.8 Acres/Mowing Hour

John Deere – 2 Gang Rotary

1.5 Acres/Lane Mile

5.8 Acres/Mowing Hour

John Deere – 3 Gang Rotary

1.9 Acres/Mile

9.3 Acres/Mowing Hour

Auto-generated

Daily Record

for

Pesticide Application

To better manage resources and operations, having a thorough record of roadside assets is

vital. Incorporating GPS technology into maintenance activities takes the guess-work out

of inventories.

M D4 Control Segments

(7) three-mile Survey Sites

M University of MN Research Project (100) ¼-mile Random Sample Surveys

NWM Inventory Method Comparison 1999-2004

108.93

269.33

53.74

1.67

3.35 7.24

0.00

50.00

100.00

150.00

200.00

250.00

300.00

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Years Documented

Ac

res

Inv

en

tori

ed

GPS Method

"Drive-by" Method

*

* Incomplete Data

2004 NWM Weed Inventory

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Segment

Acres of Weeds

PI (Poison Ivy)

LS (Leafy Spurge)

CT (Canada Thistle)

SEGMENT CT (Canada Thistle) LS (Leafy Spurge) PI (Poison Ivy)40 1.305 0.119 0.08841 6.017 0 042 3.279 0.533 043 0.366 0.024 0.0944 1.125 0 2.24645 31.621 0 046 6.558 0.293 0.071

2004

INVENTORY

DETAIL

Spotted Knapweed

Leafy Spurge

Lesser Knapweed Flower Weevil (Larinus Minutus)

Acres Treated: 75

Quantity Released: 1800

Knapweed Root Weevil (Cyphocleonus Achates)

Acres Treated: 50

Quantity Released: 80

Flea Beetle (Aphthona Nigriscutis)

Acres Treated: 19

Quantity Released: 150,000

Flea Beetle (Aphthona Lacertosa)

Acres Treated: 43

Quantity Released: 250,000

SUMMARYM Management tool for planning resources for maintenance activities

M Tested the practicality of collecting data

during mowing and spraying activitiesM Continue adding to existing historical data bases for planning control measures

M Establishing effective management and labor practices for increased results

M Accurate documentation of work completed

Future IRVM Needs for Mn/DOT

M More statewide guidance

M Continuous improvements and annual updates of local IRVM plans

M Better tracking of costs

M More stakeholder inputs

Source: Oct ’03 IRVM Video Conference Presentation