Conduct highway department interview

[davidjevans]

Interview at least 1 person from market to understand goals and problems of groundskeeping in market.

In person interview is preferable, but over the phone works too.

[jphaneuf]

not enough personnel, can't add people, can hire temporary focus is mainly on roads (paving, drainage, landscaping crew) most mowing out on contract spend ~ 1 million if want more mowing something has to give not all of the municipalities , there's a misunderstanding of what the responsibilities are in the burrows only responsible for certain parts, state is responsible they do herbicide spraying

[jphaneuf]

comes down to balancing funding allocated reasonably well changed the way they did mowing this year, changed contract, partial mowing and then a full mow

[jphaneuf]

got a lot of complaints from that, was getting overgrown

[jphaneuf]

why can't we ask workers to pick up trash as well?

[jphaneuf]

would mow more just for aesthetics

[jphaneuf]

if you don't mow trees start to grow

[jphaneuf]

ramps/intersections there are sight distance issues

[jphaneuf]

doesn't have a lot of equipment, most of it put out to bid

[jphaneuf]

usually have a month to mow from a bid

[jphaneuf]

-send email to jason to get contractor names

[jphaneuf]

contract might say 'within 1 ft of trees' etc..., people go out to check specs

[jphaneuf]

large tractors with pull behind mower decks

[jphaneuf]

4-5 man crew on staff put in place in april w/ weedwackers, small tractor w/ mowing deck, go around and hit areas not on contract, large fields, react to complaints

[jphaneuf]

any kind of job on the road is in a dangerous job, in traffic, mowing , not on slopes where tractor can flip, use weed whacker instead, for the most part less dangerous than patching potholes

[jphaneuf]

automation: not yet, still low bid w/ contractors, was trying to find some equipment for picking up garbage, some state had some equipment to do that, cheapest most effective way is still people. mowing is still in that area, not exploring that way. don't want to limit a contractor's means or methods. most creative contractors will win bid. have seen some remote ones, but mostly just using big tractors.

[jphaneuf]

there's a push / awareness about green space and storm control, reducing impermeable pavement area, the challenge is maintenance of it. maintenance budget hasn't changed in several years, with this push for green infrastructure, giving water a place to absorb into ground , anything penndot can do to help is useful, several storm water retention places which require maintenance. who's going to do it, where's the money coming from?

[jphaneuf]

do a lot of beautification permits, folks paying for that and maintaining. Tend to do just what they need to maintain safety,

[jphaneuf]

As PennDot increases green infrastructure, where does money come from?

[jphaneuf]

pittsburgh wet weather, 28 billion project to reduce runoff, FEMA? hasn't affected penndot yet

[jphaneuf]

south hills developed 1900s no sight at all into retention of storm water

[jphaneuf]

have to figure out a way to maintain that greenspace

[jphaneuf]

jason zang: jzang@pa.gov