2016 GreenLITES Operations Innovation Award

Residency Name: Allegany Residency, Region 6

Residency Description: The Allegany Residency is the western-most Residency in Region 6. The Residency maintains highways ranging from Interstate 86, the Southern Tier’s major east-west expressway, to many rural state highways that connect communities within the upper Genesee River Valley portion of the Allegany Plateau. Project Description: Salt Inventory Laser Measurement System Region 6 is utilizing inexpensive laser distance measuring devices to accurately measure bulk salt stockpiles. In the past salt piles were difficult to measure accurately. Rough measurements could result in large stockpile adjustments and a low confidence in the accuracy of stock pile inventory. The rough measurements could lead to locations receiving more salt than the barns could comfortably house. Residency staff is using an off the shelf laser distance measurer and a residency developed spreadsheet

to generate very accurate stockpile quantities.

Sustainability and Environmental Highlights:

This affordable new technology provides residencies with an easy to use method to quickly and

accurately verify bulk salt inventory.

Accurate stockpile measurements help ensure salt re-orders do not exceed building capacity,

which reduces the potential for overloading barns and contaminating the environment.

Overloaded barn

Not NYSDOT

2016 GreenLITES Operations Innovation Award

Residency Name: Livingston Residency, Region 4 Residency Description: Livingston County Residency is a rural county south of Rochester in Region 4. There are 671 lane miles of the State’s Highway Infrastructure within the boundaries of Livingston County for which the Residency has maintenance responsibilities. Project Description: Pollinator Vegetation Management Project on a six mile segment of I-390 between Mt. Morris & Sonyea Both pollinator populations and milkweed plants, the only host plant on which Monarch caterpillars or larvae can properly feed and develop, have been in broad scale decline. As pollinators provide important economic and ecological services, a 2014 Presidential Memorandum and Task Force was developed, in addition New York State also developed a Task Force. In response to the pollinator conservation concern R4 started a pilot project which includes the following components:

In partnership with the Seneca Park Zoo Society (SPZS) one pollinator garden (approx 400 SF) will be planted at each of the two I-390 rest stops located just south of the Mount Morris area. SPZS volunteers will be involved in planting the gardens and there will be public outreach associated with the planting event.

Adjustment of mowing in pollinator areas started in the Fall of 2015. The single pass mow will remain unchanged. However, the annual mow area has been widened as much as practical and will be mowed biennially (SB in odd years, NB in even years). Our goal is to do the biennial mowing in late Sept/early Oct which is later than it has been traditionally mowed. Approval of a variation from the mowing policy (TMI-14-01) was obtained from Office of Transportation Maintenance (OTM) in Main Office.

Signage will be placed on both rest area buildings. These signs will highlight the following: concerns about declines in both pollinator populations and milkweed plants, DOT’s modified mowing in this area, the SPZS’s Butterfly Beltway program, and what individuals can do to support pollinators at their properties or businesses.

Smaller signs will be placed at the two pollinator gardens to encourage citizen science monitoring of species use and public impact of these gardens.

Delineators with monarch icons will mark modified mowing areas at both rest areas so that the public can identify our modified mowing in this area.

The SPZS may possibly harvest milkweed pods and harvest and rear Monarch eggs from the project area.

Monitoring of both pollinator species use in the project area and also project impacts on the Residency. Sustainability and Environmental Highlights:

Partnerships are being utilized to advance this project (Livingston Co. Maintenance, Regional Environmental Group, Main Office OTM and the Seneca Park Zoo Society)

Later season mowing will protect Monarch caterpillars and emerging butterflies until the Monarch migration has moved through NYS. It will also provide late season forage for honeybees and other pollinators.

The increase in area being mowed will be balanced by mowing biennially to limit and additional costs in fuel and labor. The two year mowing cycle will also foster the natural propagation of milkweed be allowing root establishment and then reenergizing with the cutting.

Partnership with the SPZS will provide public education, stimulate citizen science, and potentially spur citizens to initiate their own pollinator supportive activities.

Milkweed seed and Monarch egg harvesting could help support their Butterfly Beltway program

Monarch caterpillar on milkweed Milkweed at the NB Mt Morris rest stop

2016 GreenLITES Operations Innovation Award

Residency Name: Allegany Residency, Region 6

Residency Description: The Allegany Residency is the western-most Residency in Region 6. The Residency maintains highways ranging from Interstate 86, the Southern Tier’s major east-west expressway, to many rural highways that connect communities within the upper Genesee River Valley portion of the Allegany Plateau. Project Description: Rain Water Harvester In an effort to conserve water, minimize storm water runoff, and reduce costs, an empty tank that is not used in the summer was set-up to capture rainwater from the roof of the facility. Thousands of gallons of rain water have been collected and reused by State Forces to clean

closed drainage systems, control dust when sweeping, mix concrete, and refill pavement rollers

and milling machines.

Sustainability and Environmental Highlights:

Conserves area ground water reserves during the dry summer months.

Reduces effort, energy and expense associated with using municipal treated and

distributed water that will be used for highway maintenance.

Conserves capital. Reduced water and sewer bill by over $1,000.

Reduces storm water run-off.

Tank is placed in a highly visible location to remind residency staff and show the

travelling public that the DOT is seriously committed to environmental sustainability.