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5. INTERSCAPE 25 Improving the image at Ihe '-25 corridor requires more Ihan Ihe design and installation 01 new land- scaping, Once landscaping is inslalled, it must be roulinely maintained so Ihat it is as aesthetically pleasing in successive years, as In year one. The key to the continued success at a project lies In the provision for the necessary long term mainte- nance aher Ihe poinl 01 installalion, So alien land- scaping slowly deteriorates over the years be- cause Ihe tocus was on gelling Ihe projecl 'in Ihe ground' and Ihe planning process omilled any torelhoughl and commilmenl concerning Iulure maintenance, Wilh Ihe proper maintenance iI will remain heahhy and grow more valuable every year as il matures, Common sense dictates that such a valuable inveslment should not be jepardized by neglect or inadequate care and emphasizes the importance of mainlenance planning. Ahhough the reduction of maintenance require- menlS is one objective 10 be addressed durIng each individual projecl's design and plant selec- tion process, a certain level 01 malnlenance re- mains, The simple eddition of more landscaping will increase maintenance responsibililies sub- stantially. In a time when public agencies are suf- tering from image problems, there is no surer way to earn public criticism than to generale communi- ty enthusiasm Ihrough the installation of a new landscaping project and Ihen allow Ihe planl male- rial 10 slowly deteriorate or die due to lack at main- lenance, Pasl Highway Departmenl experience and concerns expressed by several metro Denver agencies and organizalions underline the Impor- tance 01 adopting a general rule of thumb tor all fu- ture landscaping projects: No project should be In- stalled without prior provisions for long term maintanance, A maintenance analysis should be an important part of every project's planning slage and include Iile-cycle costing lor all proposed plant material. Provision tor lull/re maintenance should be viewed as part of Ihe project cosls and evaluated on the assumption that costs will In- crease periodically as plant material matures and requires more care and as labor, equipment and supply cosls rise, As wilh any highway/transportation department, funding priorities are on the highway pavement and limit the amount of landscape maintenance which can be provided by Ihe agency. Meeting Ihe road- way and transportation needs 01 the growing metro Denver area leaves very Jillle 10 allocate to land- scape maintenance. A small 1.6% at the annual budget is spread statewide to provide tor land- scape maintenance needs, Metro Denve(s portion of this amounl places limitations on the manpower and expertise now available to care tor existing highway landscaping. The maintenance budget cannot be stretched further to accomodate the maintenance requirements at addilionallandscap- ing. Tighler budgels, reduced tederal aid, and reluc- tance to further increase taxes have many city and state governments nationwide searching tor aller- nate ways to satisly public demands for adidilional and Improved services, facilities and amenities, The problem 01 providIng for fulure landscape maintenance and the need to secure funding to landscape lhose portions ollhe '-25 corridor not included in a highway construction project spurred investigation 01 successlul landscaping and main- tenance funding alternalives used In olher states, A survey of several other stale highwayl transportation departmenls indicated a definate di- version Irom Ihe traditional view that highway aes- thetics are the sole responsibility of the state agency, Current policies either encourage or man- date cooperative arrangemenls Ihal shill some de- gree 01 landscape Installation and maintenance re- sponsibilities 10 the communitY/plivate seclor, In many instances, the highway departments provide only minimal revegetation tor erosion control; the installation of any additional landscaping and all maintenance becomes the responsibility of the in- volved city or community. Further research identi- fied a trend ot publically owned lands being en- hanced and maintained under an 'umbrella' provided by publiclprivate cooperative effort chan- neled Ihrough a non-proln organization. To beller Illustrate the potential at public/private cooperative effort, some examples include: 1) Projed I of Albuquerque, New Mexico, is a non- profit organization which recieves wide commu- nity support and has raised approximately 5 million dollars and landscaped 92 acres 01 high- way right of way to date. 2) The Plalle River Greenway Foundation which has raised and invested fifleen million dollars In building a trail system, palks, and other Im- provements and maintenance 01 the river corri- dor. 3) The Arapahoe Greenway which when completed will total 7 1/2 miles of greenway trail along the South Plalle River and will link the south subur- 20.