County crews begin roadside herbicide spraying soon
Kitsap County road maintenance crews begin herbicide roadside shoulder spraying Monday, April 3rd. ?We recognize the concerns residents have about spraying herbicides,? said Jacques Dean, Road Superintendent. ?We use only environmentally approved products and strict application guidelines to control vegetation,? he added.?Kitsap County has discontinued the use of Glyphosate for broadcast spraying by Board of County Commissioner Resolution 085-2019, on May 22, 2019.
Herbicide spraying is an integral part of the County?s vegetation management program. ?Maintaining sight distances and ensuring signs aren?t obstructed are essential on our road system. We use mowers and other methods to help control vegetation, and the selective application of herbicides makes the other processes more efficient.
Spraying is done sequentially by geographical area. ?Location maps and spray schedules are posted at http://kcowa.us/RoadMaint. Spraying is dependent on weather and can?t be done during rainfall or windy conditions.
?Kitsap County is committed to using the lowest effective application rate of herbicide product possible to manage roadside vegetation,? said Dean. Trained and certified application crews spray adjacent to existing pavement, around guardrails and around signposts. Most application is on heavily used arterial and collector road shoulders. It?s also used on local roads as conditions warrant.
Crews do not spray in these areas:
- School zones
- Along park frontages
- Along identified bus stops
- In dense residential areas
- In road side ditches.
- Or within 50 feet on either side of a critical environmental area.
Property owners have the option to maintain vegetation in the right of way area adjacent to their property. To learn more about the program go to http://kcowa.us/roadmaint.
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