Brushing, Keeping Our Highways Safe and Looking Good

It’s a matter of routine. You wake up in the morning, brush your hair and get ready for the day ahead. We do something similar, only on a much larger scale. But it’s not our hair we’re brushing, it’s our roadways.

It happens every year around this time. As spring kicks in, trees and shrubs start growing, and if they’re left unchecked, they can quickly take over our roadsides. So we begin our annual routine of mowing, chopping and chipping to keep things clear. We’re not just doing this for cosmetic reasons; it’s about safety.

When brush gets out of control, it can be harder for drivers to see the road ahead and respond to oncoming dangers. It can also hide important road signs that drivers need. Those alone are good reasons to cut brush back, but there are other incentives as well, which include:

  • Cutting tree limbs growing too close to the roadway can prevent vehicle damage
  • Clearing our roadsides if they’re overgrown, provides room for vehicles to pull over in case of an emergency.
  • Removing excess growth from our roadsides also reduces fire hazards, and it lowers the chance of flooding by keeping ditches and drains free of debris.
  • Brushing also provides an opportunity to control invasive weeds that can quickly spread if left alone.

So if you see a tractor mowing the side of the road, don’t just “brush” them off. They’re providing an important service!

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Page 1 of 9 comments on “Brushing, Keeping Our Highways Safe and Looking Good”

Leave a Reply to Doreen Mcgrath Cancel reply

  1. M.O.T. is underfunded and worry more about the Contractor’s then looking after the Taxpayers roads.The contract is never enforced. Brushing and Shouldering especially.