Payment for additional fertilizer and agricultural limestone will be made in accordance with the requirements given in Article 652.05. Payment for seeding may be withdrawn for areas where vegetative cover is not established or not satisfactorily maintained and fertilized after establishment. Every effort should be made to establish vegetation of permanent species in accordance with the seasonal requirements shown for each species in Section 860. Areas where the season and required seed mix causethe method of seeding in stubble to be necessary for the establishment of a permanent plant will not be considered acceptable until vegetation of a permanent species is satisfactorily established. The project will not be accepted for maintenance prior to acceptable establishment of vegetation after seeding in stubble. Payment will not be made for areas of unsatisfactory stands of vegetative cover, the repair of areas damaged by the Contractor, or for the repair of washes in areas where sufficient erosion control measures are available to the Contractor. Requests from the Contractor for payment for areas of unsatisfactory stands of vegetative cover will not be considered by the Construction Engineer without the submittal of documentation of absolute adherence to the requirements for the application of topsoil and for the establishment of the vegetation.
i.Mowing. The Contractor shall mow all seeded areas of medians, shoulders and front slopes as directed or permitted by the Engineer. The Contractor shall mow when the vegetation becomes a hazard to motorists and as necessary to promote growth of the required permanent plant. Mowing shall be performed in a manner that will not cause unnecessary damage to desirable vegetation. Mowing of lespedezas and tall fescue shall not be done until after these plants have produced mature seed. Mowing shall generally be done twice each year as directed or permitted by the Engineer and when vegetation has grown to a height of 16 inches. If the project is being considered for acceptance for maintenance by the Department and has been mowed within the last 2 months, additional mowing will not be required. The Contractor shall mow, cut and trim as close as practicable to all fixed objects, exercising extreme care not to damage trees, plants, shrubs, delineators and other appurtenances. Damage to trees, plants, shrubs, delineators or other appurtenances shall be repaired or replaced immediately by the Contractor at no cost to the Department. The Engineer will determine if the damage must be corrected by repair or replacement.
652.04 Method of Measurement.
a.Seeding. Seeding will be measured in acres {hectares} parallel to the seeded surface regardless of the method of establishment.
b.Mowing. Mowing will be measured in acres {hectares} parallel to the mowed surface. Each separate mowing of the same location will be measured separately.
652.05 Basis of Payment.
a.Unit Price Coverage. Seeding will be paid for at the contract unit price per acre {hectare} which shall be full compensation for all ground preparation, furnishing, preparing, soil amendments (fertilizer and lime), seeds, including water needed in mixing, planting, establishing, and maintaining of the seeded areas until final acceptance, and for all materials, equipment, tools, labor, and incidentals necessary to complete the work. Additional fertilizer or agricultural limestone ordered by the Engineer will be paid at the verified invoice price plus 15 percent. The seeding item will be used for payment for establishing vegetation regardless of the methods used for planting and establishment. Vegetation established outside of the normal planting season (annual ryegrass) will be paid for at the contract price for seeding. Vegetation established by seeding in stubble will also be paid for at the contract unit price for seeding. All mowing, cutting and trimming, including mowing required for seeding in stubble will be paid for at the contract unit price bid per acre {hectare} which shall be payment in full for the mowing including equipment, labor, and incidentals necessary to complete this item of work. The contract unit price shall also be for mowing required when the vegetation becomes a hazard to motorists and as necessary to promote growth of the required permanent vegetation. SECTION 654 SOLID SODDING
b.Payment will be made under Item No.: 652-A Seeding - per acre {hectare} 652-C Mowing - per acre {hectare} SECTION 654 SOLID SODDING
654.01 Description.
This Section shall cover the work of furnishing solid grass sodding in designated locations throughout the construction limits of the work. Basic work consists of ground preparation, furnishing and placing required soil amendments, and furnishing and installing sod and maintenance of the sod including watering of the sod for the life of the contract.
654.02 Materials.
All materials shall conform to the requirements of Article 860.05. A list of acceptable mulch control netting products (LIST II-20, “TACKIFIERS, MULCH CONTROL NETTING, AND HYDRAULIC MULCH PRODUCTS”) is given in the ALDOT’s MSDSAR manual.
654.03 Construction Requirements.
The installation of sod shall be performed by or under the direct supervision of a licensed applicator in the area of Horticulture Professional Service for Setting of Landscape Plants. Areas to receive sod shall be prepared in accordance with the requirements for planting vegetation in soft soil given in Section 652. The requirements for ground preparation and the application of initial and final amendments to the soil shall apply to this work. Rolled and rectangular sod pieces shall be placed long edge perpendicular to the flow of water on the prepared and amended soil with no gaps between the individual sod pieces or rolls. The entire sodded area shall be rolled with a weighted roller to set each piece of sod into the topsoil. Staking or stapling of sod is required on slopes 3:1 or steeper and all channel applications. The stapling shall also occur at the transition overlaps and shall be placed through both abutting pieces of sod. When required by the plans, mulch control netting shall be applied in accordance with Section 656 and shall be a subsidiary obligation. The Contractor should water the sod immediately after installation, and the sod shall receive approximately 1.5 inches of rainfall or irrigation per week during the Summer or 1 inch of rainfall or irrigation per week during the Spring and Fall. Dormant sod laid during the Winter requires less frequent rainfall or irrigation, but the sod shall be watered prior to a hard freeze in a dry or drought state to protect the root bed. The Contractor shall also fill washes and otherwise protect and maintain all sodded areas until the contract is accepted for maintenance or until the bond is released if a bond was required. Payment will not be made for areas of unsatisfactory stands of vegetative cover, the repair of areas damaged by the Contractor, or for the repair of washes in areas where sufficient erosion control measures are available to the Contractor. Requests from the Contractor for payment for areas of unsatisfactory sod will not be considered without the submittal of documentation of absolute adherence to the requirements for the establishment of the solid sodding. The requirements given in Section 652 shall apply to the determination of a satisfactory installation of solid sod except that a 95 % living coverage will be required.
654.04 Method of Measurement.
Solid Sodding will be measured in square yards {square meters} from measurements made parallel to the surface of the area covered by the sod.
654.05 Basis of Payment.
a.Unit Price Coverage. Solid Sodding will be paid for at the contract unit price, which price shall be full compensation for furnishing the sod, ground preparation, planting, staking or staples, soil amendments, rolling, watering, and maintaining the sod until acceptance of the contract, and for all other materials, equipment, tools, and labor necessary to complete the work. Additional fertilizer or agricultural limestone ordered by the Engineer will be paid at the verified invoice price plus 15 percent.
b.Payment will be made under Item No.: 654-A Solid Sodding - per square yard {square meter}
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Source: 2026 Standard Specifications for Highway Construction, 2026 Edition. Pages 556–557 of 826. View official source ↗