 Mowing is one of the most important functions in highway maintenance. To the traveling public, a well-kept roadside is attractive, but that's just one of the reasons we mow. Safety is our primary concern because overgrown vegetation can conceal small animals and even obstruct vision. Mowing is especially important in the fall. If grass and weeds aren't properly controlled before it snows, they can trap the snow on the roadway and create a drift line. So in this program on mowing, we'll look at the procedures to follow to eliminate drift lines and to keep our roadside safe and attractive. That's really the key to mowing effectively. If mowing a particular area doesn't eliminate a drift line or make the roadside safe and attractive, then the area simply should not be mowed. And speaking of safety, as with any other maintenance activity, the first thing to do is set up all the necessary traffic control devices. You need to place road machinery ahead signs on both ends of the area you intend to mow. And because these are the only traffic control devices, be sure to indicate the total number of miles you expect to mow. In this case, six. For that in mind, let's look at some general conditions for mowing and mowing widths. To begin with, if there's a good stand of grass that doesn't grow taller than 14 inches, mowing is not normally required. And no vegetation should be mowed shorter than six inches. This rule protects both the grass and the mower. If you cut into the crown of a clump of grass, it'll die. You're more likely to damage the mower on small rocks and debris if you cut shorter than six inches. Okay, that's how much you should mow. Now let's look at where you should mow. Basically, there are two types of roadway sections. Cut sections and fill sections. In cut sections, the roadway is below the land around it. In fill sections, the roadway is above the land around it. In cut sections, you should mow at least to the ditch line. But be on the lookout for any drainage structures. All of them should be marked with a delineator with a black stripe. If you come across a drainage structure that's not marked, or if the delineator has been damaged or knocked down, tell your supervisor, if the back slope is three to one or less, make one pass along the back slope to help drainage. But never mow a slope that's steeper than three to one. There's just too much danger of flipping the machine. As for fill sections, vegetation should not be higher than the roadway. So normally, one pass in a fill section is enough. Along with cut and fill sections, the type of road also determines how much you should mow. On urban interstate highways, you should mow from fence line to fence line. That includes all infield areas at interchanges. The ability of motorists to see clearly on these high volume roads is essential. As for the median area, you should mow all of it if it's 100 feet wide or less. If it's wider than 100 feet, just mow 25 feet from the inside shoulder. Normal interstate and primary roads have a smaller volume of traffic. So for these roads, a mowing width of 30 feet is adequate. But use your judgment and remember the guidelines for cut and fill sections. In many long and straight sections of road, mowing a 30 foot wide swath is unnecessary. On the other hand, mowing 30 feet wide around intersections is almost always a good idea. Most stopped at intersections have to be able to see clearly if there's any oncoming traffic. Secondary roads get the least attention. For these rural roads, 15 feet is the maximum width you should mow. There is, however, one exception. Wherever one of these roads enters a city, you should mow from right-of-way line to right-of-way line for one quarter mile in each direction from the city limits. In fact, this procedure should be followed for all types of roads. And those are the guidelines for effective mowing, but there are a few more things you should be aware of. First, mowing around sign posts and delineators. In many cases, the area immediately around these posts is chemically controlled, and that certainly makes your job easier. But when the area hasn't been chemically controlled, here's what you should do. First, pull up as close to the delineator as you can, around it as close as possible. And finally, back up to the delineator to get the small section you missed. This procedure takes a little more time, but it's necessary to avoid overgrowth at the delineators. In addition, you should notify your supervisor of the situation so that arrangements can be made to trim any remaining overgrowth by hand or to chemically treat it. You also have to be careful not to throw material into the traveled way. So when you're mowing along the edge of the road, always travel in a direction that throws the material away from traffic. Always be on the lookout for large debris. It's bound to be there no matter how well the area has been cleaned ahead of time. And that brings us to the end of the program. Try to keep the points you've seen here in mind and use your judgment. Remember the purposes of mowing are to eliminate drift lines and to make the roadway safe and attractive. And if mowing does not serve one of these purposes, don't mow.