formity with these specifications at locations shown on the plans or designated by the Engineer. Construction Requirements 628.03. Harvesting Sprigs. The Contractor shall notify the Engineer at least 5 days before sprigs are to be harvested, and the source shall be approved by the Engineer before harvesting begins. To begin harvesting, grass and weeds shall be mowed to a height of 2 to 3 inches and all clippings removed. Sprigs shall then be loosened by cross-discing, shallow plowing, or other acceptable methods. After loosening the sprigs from the soil, they shall be gathered in small piles or windrows, watered, and kept moist until planted. Not more than 24 hours shall elapse between harvesting and planting sprigs, except that when weather or other uncontrollable conditions interrupt the work, a time extension may be granted, provided the sprigs are still moist and viable. Sprigs that have heated in stockpiles, have become frozen, permitted to dry out, or otherwise seriously damaged during harvesting or delivery will be rejected and shall be disposed of as directed. 628.04 Advance Preparation and Cleanup. After grading of areas has been completed and before applying fertilizer and ground limestone, areas to be sprigged shall be raked or otherwise cleared of stones larger than 2 inches in any diameter, sticks, stumps, and other debris which might interfere with sprigging, growth of grasses, or subsequent maintenance of grass-covered areas. If any damage by erosion or other causes has occurred after grading of areas and before beginning the application of fertilizer and ground limestone, the Contractor shall repair such damage without additional compensation. This may include filling and smoothing irregularities, and repairing other incidental damage. 628.05 Topsoiling. If topsoiling is shown on the plans, it shall be done in accordance with the requirements of section 624. 628.06 Planting Sprigs. Sprigging shall be done only within the periods stipulated in the special provisions. Sprigging shall not be done during windy weather, or when the ground is dry, excessively wet, frozen, or otherwise untillable. If the soil is not moist when the sprigs are being set, water shall be applied until the soil is moist and in a workable condition. One or more of the following methods shall be used, whichever is shown on the plans: (a) Broadcast sprigging.-Sprigs shall be broadcast by hand or by suitable equipment in a uniform layer over the prepared surface with spacing between sprigs not to exceed 6 inches. The sprigs shall then be forced into the soil to a depth of 2 to 4 inches with a straight spade or similar tool, or with a disk harrow or other equipment set to cover the sprigs to the required depth. (b) Row sprigging.-Furrows shall be opened along the approximate contour of slopes at the spacing and depth indicated on the plans. Sprigs shall be placed without delay in a continuous row in the open furrow with successive sprigs touching, and shall be covered immediately. (c) Spot sprigging.-Spot sprigging shall be performed as specified under row sprigging, except that, instead of planting in continuous rows, groups of four sprigs or more shall be spaced 18 inches apart in the rows. 628.07 Mulching and Compacting. After planting of sprigs has been completed, and prior to compacting, the surface shall be cleared of stones larger than 2 inches in any diameter, large clods, roots, and other litter brought to the surface during sprigging. If mulching of sprigged areas is shown on the plane, the sprigged area shall be covered with mulch in accordance with the requirements of section 625 within 24 hours from the time sprigging has been completed, weather and soil conditions permitting. If mulching is not shown on the plans, the sprigged area shall be lightly compacted within 24 hours from the time sprigging has been completed, weather and soil conditions permitting, by cultipackers, rollers, or other satisfactory equipment operated at right angles to the slope. Compaction shall not be done when the soil is in such condition that it is picked up by the equipment, nor shall clay soils be compacted if so directed by the Engineer. 628.08 Care and Protection of Sprigged Areas. The Contractor shall protect sprigged areas against traffic by the use of warning signs or barricades approved by the Engineer. Surfaces gullied or otherwise damaged following sprigging shall be repaired by regrading and resprigging as directed without added compensation. The Contractor shall mow, water as directed, and otherwise care for the sprigged areas in a satisfactory condition until final inspection and acceptance of the work. Method of Measurement 628.09 The quantity of sprigging to be paid for will be the number of units of 1,000 square feet, measured on the ground surface, completed and accepted. Basis of Payment 628.10 The quantity, determined as provided above, will be paid for at the contract price per unit of measurement for the pay item listed below, which price and payment will be full compensation for the work prescribed in this section except as follows: (1) Topsoiling will be paid for as provided in section 624. Payment will be made under: Pay item 628(1) Sprigging 628 (2) Water Pay unit 1,000 square feet MG. (1000 gallons) Section 629.-SODDING Description 629.01 This work shall consist of preparing the sod bed, furnishing, cutting, hauling and laying live sod of perennial turf-forming grasses, furnishing and placing fertilizer and ground limestone if required, all in reasonably close conformity with these specifications at the locations shown on the plans or as designated by the Engineer. Materials 629.02 Materials shall meet the requirements of the following subsections: 629.03 Season. Sodding operations shall be done during the normal season for sodding or at such time as indicated on the plans, in the special provisions, or authorized in writing by the Engineer. 629.04 Sources of Sod. The Contractor shall notify the Engineer not less than 3 days before cutting of sod begins. Sod will be approved by the Engineer in its original position before cutting and delivery to the project. 629.05 Soil Preparation and Cleanup. Before the delivery of sod, areas to be sodded shall be brought to the lines and grades as required and then plowed, disced or harrowed or otherwise loosened to the depth shown on the plans. Cleanup shall include removal of stones larger than 2 inches in any diameter, sticks, stumps and other debris which might interfere with the proper laying or subsequent growth of sod. On slopes steeper than 3:1 the depth of tillage may be reduced as directed; however, the earth surface shall be loosened prior to applying fertilizer, ground limestone or other material. 629.06 Topsoiling. Topsoil, when required, shall be placed, measured and paid for in accordance with section 624. 629.07 Applying Fertilizer and Ground Limestone. Following soil preparation, cleanup, and topsoiling if required, fertilizer and ground limestone when specified, shall be uniformly spread at the rate indicated on the plans. Approved mechanical spreaders, blower equipment or other approved methods may be used for spreading fertilizer and ground limestone after which such materials shall be incorporated into the soil by discing or other tillage to the depth shown on the plans. 629.08 Laying Sod. Sod shall be laid on the prepared sod bed within 24 hours after cutting, except that sod may be stored in stacks or piles, grass to grass and roots to roots for not more than 5 days. Sod shall be protected against drying from sun or wind and from freezing as necessary. The moving and laying of sod shall, as far as possible, be done when weather conditions and soil moisture are favorable. Sod shall be laid under one or more of the following methods as shown in the bid schedule: (a) Solid sodding shall be laid when soils are moist. Dry sod bed areas shall be well moistened before sod is laid. Sections of solid sod shall be laid edge to edge with staggered joints. Openings shall be plugged with sod or filled with acceptable loamy topsoil. After laying and joint filling, sod shall be rolled or tamped with approved equipment to eliminate air pockets and provide an even surface. On slopes of 2:1 or steeper and in channels, sod shall be pegged after tamping, pegs being driven flush with the sod bed surface. (b) Strip sod shall be laid in parallel rows, as indicated on the plans. Each strip of sod shall be of the width shown on the plans and shall be laid in a shallow trench and firmly rolled or tamped until the surface of the sod is level with or below the adjacent soils. If required by the special provisions, the ground between strips of sod shall be seeded with grass seeds of the kind, and at rates shown. Seeded areas shall then be raked or dragged to cover the seed. (c) Spot sodding shall consist of sod blocks laid in accordance with the details shown on the plans. The pieces of sod shall be firmly rolled or tamped into the soil until the surfaces of sod blocks are slightly below the surrounding ground surface. 629.09 Care During Construction, Watering and Temporary Maintenance of Sodded Areas. Sod shall be watered when laid and kept moist until final acceptance of the contract. Watering shall be done by use of tank trucks equipped with means for even distribution of water at a measured rate, per unit of area, or from approved metered sources. Watering shall be done so as to avoid erosion and prevent damage to sodded areas by wheels of vehicles. The Contractor shall erect necessary warning signs and barriers, mow sodded areas, and repair or replace sodded areas failing to show a uniform growth of grass, or damaged by his operations, and shall otherwise maintain the sod until final acceptance of the contract. Replacement of dried out or damaged sod shall be at the Contractor's expense. Method of Measurement 629.10 The quantity of sodding to be paid for will be the number of square yards of (a) solid sodding, (b) strip sodding, or (c) spot sodding measured on the ground surface, completed in accordance with these specifications except areas seeded in conjunction with (b) strip sodding will be measured as provided under section 625. Water, if called for as a separate item, will be measured in thousands of gallons delivered and applied as directed. Basis of Payment 629.11 The quantity determined as provided above will be paid for at the contract price per unit of measurement for the pay items listed below, which price and payment will be full compensation for the work prescribed in this section, except as provided in (1), (2) and (3) below: (1) Topsoil will be paid for as provided under section 624. |