"The community" vs. Caltrans road safety, Scotch Broom

The Almanac/Barbara Wood, 2/27/15. "Residents upset with Caltrans' plan to spray herbicides on roadsides March 3, 10. Residents want Caltrans to honor county's spray ban."  

Caltrans:  just spraying herbicides
where other methods do not work

Not feeling the love for Scotch Broom
Highway 84, (La Honda, San Gregorio)

"Residents of rural San Mateo County who oppose the roadside spraying of herbicides to control weeds were upset to find out recently that a fight they thought they had won in 2012 when the county ordered a stop to most spraying isn't really over.

....  "The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has announced that it will spray herbicides along Highway 84 west of Skyline Boulevard twice in early March, and residents of the area are not happy about it. Residents of Skyline Boulevard say they are also unhappy to find out that Caltrans sprayed their roadsides in January without giving the notice it had promised. 

.... Margaret MacNiven, who lives off Highway 35 in the Portola Heights neighborhood, noticed and photographed the dying vegetation and Caltrans confirmed that it had sprayed herbicides along Skyline around Jan. 15. "It's disappointing since San Mateo County has adopted a policy of mowing the side of the road, a wonderful environmentally sensitive policy," Ms. MacNiven said. "I thought the spray in January was applied indiscriminately and at a time and in places where it did more harm than good," she said. Ms. MacNiven said that invasive plants "flourish when the ground is disturbed." "Over the years," Ms. MacNiven said, "Skyline, a scenic corridor, has become a mess when it comes to invasives taking over the side of the highway." The invasive plants, including Star thistle, Italian thistle and Scotch broom, are flourishing, she said "which is sad for a native plant lover like myself." Read more.

Reference - Caltrans Community notice, 2/25/25:  "Herbicide Spraying on Route 84 in San Mateo", pdf pages 1.  "During a routine inspection, Caltrans deemed spraying is necessary for safety measures, such as clearing weeds around signs and guardrails, sight distance, establishing fire strips and invasive plants and species that maintenance is not able to control by any other means.  Scotch broom (an invasive shrub) has encroached the travel way which creates a safety hazard for motorists.  Crews will not spray in driveways, creeks or congregated mailboxes.  No spraying will take place within 50 feet of all creeks and rivers.  Note:  No spraying will take place in the town of La Honda or San Gregorio.  Properties displaying a "No Spray Sign" will not be sprayed. This is a moving operation: work will take place on the shoulder.  No lane closures are necessary. Please be alert for workers and "Slow for the Cone Zone."  .... Caltrans appreciates your patience as we work to maintain the highways." 

Note photographs: man standing next to Scotch Broom plant from Idaho weed awareness campaign; road from Montana Weed Control Organization/Scotch Broom.

Posted by Kathy Meeh