Interstate interventions

Douglas, David S

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/90617 Copy

Description

Title

Interstate interventions

Author(s)

Douglas, David S

Issue Date

2016-04-22

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Henson, Jessica M.

Committee Member(s)

• Deming, M. Elen
• Roesler, Jeffery

Department of Study

Landscape Architecture

Discipline

Landscape Architecture

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

M.L.A.

Degree Level

Thesis

Keyword(s)

• Interstate
• Green infrastructure
• Corridor design

Abstract

Thousands of acres of grassy shoulders and medians line the network of high-speed Interstate highways that crisscross the United States. While these shoulders and medians serve a necessary safety purpose, the non-native turf-grass species that are typically planted in these areas are high-maintenance plants which require expensive mowing regimes. How can these underutilized shoulders and medians be employed for additional purposes, transforming the Interstate corridor into a high-performance landscape? This thesis project explores the impacts that landscape architects could have on these corridors through the implementation of interventions in these under-utilized areas. The project goal is to develop a collection of landscape interventions which would more fully utilize the thousands of acres of shoulders and medians within the Interstate corridor. The study groups the interventions into four categories: productivity, ecology, safety, and education. The compatibility of the proposed interventions with the existing conditions in, and around, the corridor are quantified, resulting in a matrix of compatibility. The ensuing matrix can be employed by department of transportation staff, engineers, and landscape architects to determine which interventions are most appropriate to apply to a section of corridor based on existing conditions. In order to make the matrix and the information collected in the thesis project more user-friendly, the data is distilled into a design manual, which is included in Appendix B. While applying the program to the Interstate corridor would make a substantial impact, implementation would face significant logistical, financial, and administrative challenges. Several of these challenges are discussed, in addition to how the matrix could be incorporated into a landscape architecture design studio class.

Graduation Semester

2016-05

Type of Resource

text

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/90617

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2016 David S. Douglas

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