Medians Are Shaggy, but Safe, VDOT Says
By Alexandra Bogdanovic
Changes in the Virginia Department of Transportation’s mowing standards mean the grass in median strips on Fauquier County roads will still be cut — just not as often or as thoroughly as before.
In May, the agency said it could save $20 million by changing the frequency of median and roadside mowing and limiting aesthetic mowing throughout the state.
“Previously we used to do two full mowings per year — one in the late spring or early summer and one in the fall," Warrenton Residency Administrator David Cubbage said. "We’d also do partial mowing based on vegetation [growth].”
Cutting the grass along roadways and in the median strips would generally take three weeks to a month, he said.
The medians in primary roads are still the top priority when it comes to mowing, followed by those in high-volume secondary roads. With restrictions in place, however, mowing in median strips will be limited to the width of one tractor pass, Cubbage explained.
“We are mowing in the crossovers [to maintain proper sight distances],” Cubbage said. “If there is a safety concern, we will address it.”
See the Fauquier Times-Democrat for the complete story...