Description

Roadside trees provide a number of positive aspects, including aesthetics and environmental benefits.However, trees also bring concerns for road agencies. For example, in the United States, trees are themost frequently struck roadside fixed object. Roadside trees can also fall and strike road users. Or, theymay fall onto the roadway and be struck by motor vehicles. Therefore, recognizing the potential for treefalls is of interest, from safety and liability perspectives, to road agency maintenance personnel at alllevels of government. In this flash webinar, a hazard tree is one with a structural defect creating thepotential that the tree, or a significant part of it, will fail and fall onto the roadway. Visual cues forrecognizing roadside trees of concern will be reviewed. The need for a systematic approach to inspectionwill also be discussed.

Audience

State and local road agency maintenance personnel, especially those with responsibility for vegetation management, should find this webinar beneficial. 

InstructorRon Eck, P.E. Is Professor Emeritus of Civil Engineering at WVU and Director of WV LTAP. He co-authored“Vegetation Control for Safety—A Guide for Local Highway and Street MaintenancePersonnel” published by the Federal Highway Administration (2007).