How highway median is usually watered in US?

Question

Is there a water pipe along the highway or the plants are just dependent of rain falls? Thank you

Answer 1

Most places don't water the median. The DOT just plants local vegetation and ground cover that requires no irrigation and can subsist solely on rain and ground water. If you've ever driven through an area with a drought, you will notice that the median is one of the first areas of plant life to go brown.

In the Midwest and Great Planes, we usually plant have switch grass and other prairie grasses in the medians and areas like that.

Answer 2

A friend over at the Transportation Department told me that almost every interstate and state highway median relies on the regions precipitation to sustain themselves.  Thus, some of the droughts throughout the US have been particularly hard on these mini-ecosystems as of late.

A number of states in the Midwest though have done some extensive replanting programs to restore medians to their traditional prairie status, which I think is a great idea.

Answer 3

If you look carefully, you will note that the median is lower than the roadway to either side (in most places). This usually triples the effect of the precipitation and makes artificial watering un-needed, given proper design and planting.

Answer 4

I'm guessing it's the drunks that pull over due to their bladder.

At least here in New Mexico.

Answer 5

in Texas we use the Transient Urination method of median hydration.

Answer 6

It depends.

In southern Arizona, they use natural landscaping (stone and rock, a few cacti) and depend on mother nature.

In the midwest and the east, they usually depend on normal rainfall. I've seen it in Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, New York, and Ohio.

In sandy areas like the coast, many towns use tankers to water median growth. (Cape Cod does this.)

Answer 7

In my travels through 42 states, I've never seen any median that was watered.