The diverse landscapes of Williamson County have created challenges when trying to re-vegetate areas uprooted by road construction.  So, Williamson County hired TBG Partners and Fugro Consulting and Cleanscapes to assist with creating specifications for landscape restoration for road construction projects that accommodate the county’s diverse geology and plant life.

The Texas Department of Transportation has written specifications for landscape restoration, but these generic specifications work in some areas and don’t work well in others.  The new specifications will break the county into four diverse ecoregions based on rainfall and natural vegetation.  The goal is to create a minimal maintenance landscape environment to minimize costs and create beautiful roadsides. 

The consultants brought together a group of regional experts to assist them including Dr. Steve Windhager, director of landscape restoration for the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Dr. John Walewski, assistant professor in civil engineering at Texas A&M University, Jim Rodgers, director of parks and recreation for Williamson County, Bob Whitney, extension agent for the Williamson County AgriLife Extension Office, and Joe England, county engineer for Williamson County, along with Master Gardeners and members of the Native Plant Society.

Dr. Windhager was involved in a pilot project for the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority involving different grasses for land adjacent to 183A at FM 1431.  The idea behind the Williamson County plan is to preserve Williamson County so that it looks like Williamson County and not just another road in Texas.  The group expects to have a firm plan created in the next three months.