Construction Requirements

624.03 Topsoil Furnished by the Contractor. The Contractor shall notify the Engineer at least 5 days before he intends to start topsoil stripping operations.

624.04 Placing. Whenever slope areas to be topsoiled are steeper than 3:1 these slopes shall be disked or scarified to the depths indicated on the plans prior to placing topsoil. After the Engineer has approved the graded areas, topsoil shall be spread to a depth which, after settlement, will provide the nominal depth shown on the plans. Spreading shall not be done when the ground or topsoil is frozen, excessively wet, or otherwise in a condition detrimental to the work. The roadway surfaces shall be kept clean during hauling and spreading operations.

After spreading has been completed, large clods, stones larger than 2 inches and any roots, stumps, and other litter shall be raked up and removed and disposed of at an approved location.

Method of Measurement

624.05 The quantities to be paid for will be the number of cubic yards of topsoil complete in place and accepted. Topsoil furnished by the Contractor will be measured in the vehicles at the point of delivery. Topsoil furnished from designated stockpiles will be measured in the original position.

Basis of Payment

624.06 The quantities, determined as provided above, will be paid for at the contract unit price respectively, for each of the particular pay items listed below that is shown in the bid schedule, which prices and payment will be full compensation for furnishing, when so required, and placing all material, including all labor, equipment, tools, and incidentals necessary to complete the work prescribed in this section, except that when provided for in the special provisions, payment for overhaul of topsoil from designated stockpiles will be made in accordance with section 205. If not otherwise provided, preparation of areas to be topsoiled will be included for payment under the work of this section.

Section 625.-TURF ESTABLISHMENT

625.01 Description. This work shall consist of seeding, fertilizing, liming if required, and mulching on all areas designated for turf establishment as shown on the plans or where directed by the Engineer in reasonably close conformity with these specifications.

625.02 Materials. Materials shall meet the requirements specified in the following subsections of Section 700-Materials:

625.03 Construction Requirements. The Contractor shall carry out erosion control items of work such as "Turf Establishment" as soon as he has satisfactorily completed a unit or portion of the project, such as a structure, an interchange or a section of road or pavement for partial acceptance as provided under Section 105.16.

(a) Soil preparation. All areas to be seeded shall be cultivated to provide a reasonably firm, but friable seedbed. Depth of cultivation shall be as shown on the plans unless otherwise directed by the Engineer. On slopes steeper than 3:1, depth of cultivation may be reduced as directed. All areas to be seeded shall meet the specified finish grades, be free of any weed or plant growth, stones of at least two inches in diameter or larger, or other debris. Limestone, if required, shall be applied uniformly either prior to or after soil preparation at the rate shown on the plans or in the special provisions.

(b) Seeding seasons.—The normal seasonal dates for seeding shall be as shown on the plans or designated in the special provisions. Seeding shall not be done during windy weather or when the ground is excessively wet, frozen or otherwise untillable.

(c) Application methods.-Seed, fertilizer, limestone and mulch material may be placed by the following methods:

(1) Hydraulic method. The seed and fertilizer, or the seed, fertilizer and suitable mulch materials shall be mixed in the specified amount of water to produce a slurry and then applied under pressure at the rates indicated on the plans or in the special provisions. Where only seed, fertilizer, and lime if specified, are to be applied hydraulically, the mulch material, if specified, may be applied before or after the

seeding operation. When wood cellulose mulch materials are to be incorporated as an integral part of the slurry mix, it shall be added after the seed and fertilizer, and ground limestone if required, have been thoroughly mixed. The mixture shall be applied at the rates and on the areas shown on the plans or as contained in the special provisions. Any area inadequately covered shall be re-treated as directed by the Engineer.

Legume seed, if specified to be used in the seeding mixture, shall be inoculated with approved cultures in accordance with instructions of the manufacturer. The inoculum used for hydraulic seeding shall be four times that recommended for dry seeding. When seeding, or reseeding, fertilizing and mulching are applied in water, compaction or rolling will not be required.

(2) Dry method.-Mechanical seeders, seed drills, landscape seeders, cultipaker seeders, fertilizer spreaders or other approved mechanical seeding equipment may be used when seed and fertilizer are to be applied in dry form.

Fertilizer in dry form and ground limestone if required, shall be spread separately at the rates indicated on the plans or in the special provisions, and incorporated in one operation to the required depth on those areas indicated on the plans or in the special provisions. Seeded areas shall be lightly compacted within 24 hours after seeding has been completed or as directed by the Engineer.

Hand operated seeding devices may be used when seed, fertilizer and ground limestone if required, are applied in dry form. Generally, hand-operated seeders shall be used only on areas which are inaccessible to mechanical seeders.

(d) Application of mulch.-Straw, hay or other mulch, when specified, shall be spread uniformly over seeded areas at the rate shown on the plans or designated in the special provisions. The mulch shall be anchored by light disking, by covering with brush, by covering thinly with soil, by staking and tying, by spraying with asphaltic material or by other methods as shown on the plans or in the special provisions.

When asphalt emulsion is used as a tiedown or adhesive, Type SS-1 or approved equal shall be applied either simultaneously with the straw or hay or in a separate operation at the rate shown on the plans or in the special provisions. The Contractor shall take precautionary measures to prevent asphalt adhesive materials from marking or defacing structures, pavements, utilities or plant growth.

When immediate protection of newly-graded slopes is necessary at other than the normal seeding season, hay or

straw mulch shall be applied before the seeding with actual seeding completed later during the specified seeding season.

(e) Grub proofing.-Grub proofing when specified shall be performed on those areas and with materials and rates of application thereof as shown on the plans or contained in the Special Provisions.

(f) Care during construction.-The Contractor shall be responsible for protecting and caring for seeded areas until final acceptance of the work. He shall repair at his own expense any damage to seeded areas caused by pedestrian or vehicular traffic or other causes, except for conditions as covered in Section 107.16.

625.04 Method of Measurement. Measurement shall be based upon the number of 1,000 square feet units of ground surface actually covered by seed, limestone if required, fertilizer and mulch of the type specified, completed and accepted.

625.05 Basis of Payment. The accepted quantities of turf establishment will be paid for at the contract unit price per acre for turf establishment, which payment shall be full compensation for furnishing and placing all materials, labor, tools and incidentals necessary thereto except Topsoil which will be pair for separately under Section 624.

Section 626.-FURNISH AND PLANT TREES, SHRUBS, VINES AND GROUNDCOVERS

626.01 Description. This work shall consist of furnishing, delivering, and planting trees, shrubs, vines and groundcover plants of the type and size indicated on the plans or in the special provisions including all materials and incidental oper

ations completed in reasonably close conformity with these specifications.

626.02 Materials. Materials shall meet the requirements specified in the following subsections of Section 700-Materials:

(a) Planting seasons. The planting shall be done during the seasons as shown on the plans, or directed by the Engineer. No planting shall be done in frozen ground, when snow covers the ground or when the soil is in an unsatisfactory condition for planting.

(b) Delivery and inspection.-The Contractor shall notify the Engineer in writing not less than 15 days in advance of delivery of plants from the nursery or collecting source. All plant materials shall be available for inspection in the nursery or collecting source. All plant materials shall be available for inspection in the nursery or collecting fields before it is dug.

The Contractor shall furnish the Engineer complete information concerning the source of supply for all plant material. Inspection of materials at the source shall be at the discretion of the Engineer. Approval to move nursery material shall not be considered as final acceptance. All plant materials shall comply with State and Federal laws controlling inspection for plant diseases and insect infestations, and the Contractor shall deliver to the Engineer all required certificates of inspection.

(c) Protection and temporary storage.-The Contractor shall keep all plant material moist and protected from drying out. Protection shall include the time when the plants are in transit, in temporary storage, or on the project site awaiting planting. Plants delivered but not scheduled for immediate planting shall be protected as follows:

Bare root materials in bundles shall have the bundles opened, plants separated and then heeled-in in trenches. Balled and burlapped (B&B) materials shall have the earth balls covered with sawdust, woodchips or other suitable material and kept in a moist condition.

(d) Layout.-Plant material locations and bed outlines shall be staked on the project site by the Engineer. The