Freeway Roadside Management: The Urban Forest Beyond the White Line

Abstract

A national survey was conducted in the United States to learn more about public preferences and perceptions regarding forest and vegetation planning and management in urban freeway roadsides. In response to images depicting a visual continuum of landscape management treatments, drivers most preferred settings having tree plantings that screen adjacent commercial land uses. Preference results suggest solutions for landscape practices that create visual quality for drivers and provide visibility for commercial properties adjacent to freeway roadsides. The research also investigated public attitudes about roadside functions, uses, and public willingness to support roadside management expenditures. Increasingly, transportation agencies are designing urban roadside landscapes to achieve multiple objectives and perform multiple functions. This research offers insights on how to incorporate urban forestry into the planning and management of high-speed urban transportation corridors.