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Community Programs and Services
Enhancing Delaware's Highways
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| Though Delaware is indeed a Small Wonder, the natural landscape of the First State is beautifully
diverse, from Wilmington's surrounding woodlands and wetlands to the grassy dunes of Dewey.
In keeping with the spirit of the state's "Livable Delaware" program, the Department of
Transportation has launched an initiative called Enhancing Delaware Highways. This cooperative
program capitalizes on the beauty of Delaware's regional landscape heritage by making it a key
feature of roadside rights-of-way.
Over 60 pilot sites throughout the state are paving the way for new management strategies.
DelDOT has adopted a stewardship model for roadside acreage that is dedicated to beauty, safety,
economy and the conservation of natural resources.
A rich diversity of native plants and blossoms along springtime woodland edges and in summer
meadows, and bursts into brilliant foliage color in autumn. Arranged in naturalistic sweeps and
patterns, plantings bring a bold beauty to roadside landscapes while reducing the need or regular
mowing. Various design and maintenance techniques meet the different needs and opportunities of
individual roadside settings and locales as illustrated in these examples from pilot sites.
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Milford
By-pass-Route 1
Native red cedars, warm season grasses
and perennial flowers including orange butterflyweed
and black-eyed Susan provide a colorful accent
in this highly visible location. This summer
meadow planting, established from seed, is
appropriate for sunny open roadsides and provides
an economical approach for large acreage.
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| Enhancing Delaware Highways is a cooperative project directed by the
Delaware Department of Transportation, The University of Delaware, The Delaware Center for
Horticulture and Rick Darke Consulting. |
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Iron Hill (Route 896 and I95)
Clusters of native deciduous trees including red maples and sweet gums capitalize on
Delaware's naturally vibrant fall color and are set off by a bank of evergreens. These
patterns are the result |
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of selective pruning and removal, and make the most of plants growing naturally on the site.
Enhanced by additional plantings, existing native warmseason grasses provide a unifying ground
layer. This management approach results in an attractive, orderly roadside while preserving
other rare and unusual native plants that occur on this Delaware Natural Heritage site.
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Dewey Beach (Route 1)
Marshmallow, a native hibiscus, is a part of the traditional summer beauty of Delaware's
coastal areas.
Management of this site has suppressed naturally occurring invasive growth of common reed (Phragmites)
in favor of the marshmallow.
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Seashore State Park
(Route 1)
This colorful hedge comprised of winged sumac and ground-sel bush results from periodic
cutting back of these two native shrubs. A narrow mowed strip of turf is maintained between
road and hedge to provide a neat appearance.
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An Egret Flies Over A Roadside Delaware Wetland
Roadsides planted with regional vegetation provide important habitat for native wildlife.
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Photos courtesy of Rick Darke
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Last Updated: Thursday, 25-Oct-2007 12:27:48 Eastern Daylight Time
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