201.1 Description. This work shall consist of clearing, grubbing, removing and disposing of items, debris and
other objectionable matter from within the limits of right of way and easement areas, except vegetation designated to remain or to be selectively treated.
201.2 Construction Requirements.
201.2.1 General. The engineer will designate all trees, shrubs, plants and other objects that are to remain. All
designated items shall be preserved. Any damage to natural terrain, vegetation or objects designated to remain shall be repaired or replaced, as determined by the engineer, at the contractor’s expense.
201.2.2 Clearing and Grubbing. Unless otherwise specified in the contract documents, the entire length of the
project shall be cleared and grubbed to the limits and requirements specified. Clearing and grubbing shall include removal of all trees, stumps, roots and any objectionable matter resting on or protruding through the surface of the original ground, except for those items designated to remain.
201.2.2 1 Clearing. The area for clearing shall be within the following limits:
a.Highway construction areas on the right of way or right of way easements, including structures, frontage roads, streets, ramps, approaches, ditches, channels and all other access roads, connections and incidental items that are to be constructed. These areas shall extend 10 feet outside of construction lines, or to the right of way limits if less than 10 feet.
b.Material sites within the right of way or right of way easements.
c.Areas enclosed by interchange loops and ramps.
d.Site distance areas for intersecting routes.
201.2.2 2 Limits of Grubbing. Within the limits of the cut areas, grubbing shall be performed to a minimum
depth of 18 inches below the finished earth grade of roadways, ditches, channels, borrows and structures. The areas below the natural ground surface shall be grubbed to a depth necessary to remove all stumps, roots, buried logs and other objectionable material. In embankment areas, undisturbed stumps and roots extending no more than 6 inches above the ground line may remain, provided the stumps and roots are a minimum of 4 feet below the finished earth grade. Except in areas to be excavated, holes created by removals shall be backfilled with suitable material and compacted to the approximate density of the adjacent area.
201.2.2 3 Selective Clearing and Grubbing. All areas outside the limits designated for clearing and grubbing,
but on the right of way, shall be free of unsightly vegetation, debris and other objectionable matter. In lieu of grubbing, undisturbed stumps outside the slope stake limits and in mowable areas may be cut to a maximum height of 3 inches above the ground. Low hanging, unsound or unsightly branches on trees or shrubs designated to remain shall be removed as directed by the engineer.
201.2.3 Scalping. The contractor shall scalp all areas where excavation or embankment is to be performed,
except mowed or burned over sod may remain where the embankment to be constructed is at least 4 feet above natural ground. Scalping shall include the removal of surface material such as sod, grass, residue of agricultural crops, sawdust and any other vegetative matter without removing more earth than is necessary.
201.2.4 National Forest Land. Before beginning work on a highway to be constructed over national forest
land, the contractor shall obtain information from the forest ranger in charge to determine rules and regulations covering construction procedures and shall follow those requirements. Before any fires are set, the contractor shall notify the forest ranger in charge, and shall secure a burning permit.
201.2.5 Removal and Disposal of Material. The contractor shall dispose of all trees, stumps, brush, roots and
all other objectionable matter removed in the clearing and grubbing process.
201.2.5 1 Open Burning. The contractor is encouraged to harvest marketable timber, utilize mulched timber for
erosion control and utilize excess mulch for composting. Open burning of trees and other brushy material is allowed unless prohibited elsewhere in the contract or disallowed by federal, state or local laws or ordinances. Any required permits, licenses, fees or other compliance requirements of open burning shall be the responsibility of the contractor in accordance with Sec 107. A contractor representative shall be present during all burning. Measures shall be taken to ensure that structures or vegetation on adjacent property, or items designated to remain on the right of way, shall not be jeopardized. Fires set for the purpose of training fire fighters and industrial employees in firefighting methods may be permitted after coordination with MDNR or local fire departments and shall be in strict accordance with NFPA standards.
201.2.5 2 Disposal of Wood. Burial of stumps and debris will not be permitted on the right of way. Products of
clearing and grubbing may be removed from the right of way and disposed of out of sight from the roadway, provided there is no conflict with governing regulations for the wasted material. A signed, written agreement with the property owner shall be submitted by the contractor to the engineer prior to the disposal of material on that property.
201.2.5 3 Disposal of Scalping. The products of scalping shall be deposited at the toe of embankments where
such areas are available within the limits of the roadway balance affected. If such areas are not available, the products shall be neatly and uniformly deposited on the right of way in such a manner that no drainage will be blocked.
201.2.5 4 Disposal of Timber. Except in national forest areas, all timber that has not been removed from the
right of way prior to construction and is not designated to remain in place shall become the property of the contractor.
201.3 Method of Measurement. The work provided herein will not be measured for payment, but will be
considered a plan quantity. The following exceptions will be made on a measured quantity basis:
a.An authorized change in the line or grade, or appreciable deviations in the original ground elevations in accordance with Sec 203.8.1, significantly alters the original construction limits of the contract.
b.Authorized alterations or corrections to the plans provide additional work outside the original construction limits of the contract and will materially affect the final payment quantity.
c.Appreciable errors within the original limits of construction, if the contractor provides written notification, and measurements of the proposed change to the engineer prior to commencing clearing operations. The engineer will accept or reject the changes by the close of the next business day.
201.3.1 If payment for additional work is required, a combined measurement of clearing and grubbing will be
made on an area basis to the nearest 1/10 acre . An acre will consist of 87.12 units, each unit being a rectangular area 50 feet long and 10 feet wide.
201.3.2 The total area of the right of way, except that part secured for channel changes, inlet or outlet easements,
and borrow areas will be laid out in units beginning at the centerline of the highway with corners at whole or half stations and extending outward until all of the right of way has been included. The total area of the right of way secured for channel changes, inlet or outlet easements, and borrow areas will be laid out in units in the same manner from longitudinal base lines run or designated for these areas.
201.3.3 Clearing and grubbing will be considered as one item. If additional clearing or grubbing is required, the
entire unit will be counted for measurement. Areas of mowing or scalping, removal of small trees or brush 5 feet high or less, and all weeds, cornstalks and similar vegetation regardless of height, and the trimming of branches on trees and shrubs designated to remain, will not be measured and will be considered incidental to other required work. Only stumps 3 inches or more in diameter and 6 inches or more above the ground surface in areas where grubbing is required will be considered in the measurement of clearing and grubbing.
201.3.4 If any clearing or grubbing is performed within any unit, the entire area of that unit, except in the case of
overlaps, will be included in the measurement. If individual trees or stumps, cause the overlapping of units as laid out, only one unit of clearing and grubbing, as applicable, will be allowed. If a fractional unit occurs as a result of measurement or of overlap, the fractional unit will be counted as one unit. If the boundary line of any unit intersects a single tree or stump, counting of another applicable unit will not be made if there is any clearing and grubbing to be paid for in the adjacent unit.
201.4 Basis of Payment.
201.4.1 Clearing and grubbing will be paid for at the contract unit price based on plan quantity.
201.4.2 If a bid item for clearing and grubbing is not included in the contract, any necessary clearing and
grubbing, including scalping, selective clearing and the removal and disposal of all the resulting material required within the contract items specified, will be considered incidental to the contract and additional compensation will not be made.
201.4.3 If additional clearing and grubbing in accordance with Sec 201.3 is required outside the initial contract
work, payment for that clearing and grubbing will be made per acre at the contract unit price, or if separate payment for clearing and grubbing is not included in the contract, payment will be made in accordance with Sec 109.
Referenced in this section
Clearing and Grubbing in other states
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Source: Missouri Standard Specifications for Highway Construction, 2026 (Oct) Edition. Pages 102–104 of 874. View official source ↗