Is it legal to pick flowers along roads?
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A: Picking wildflowers by the side of county roads is discouraged, and on state highways it's illegal. Police will issue warnings and citations to motorists who stop on the shoulder of the highway to hunt for flowers, said Melanie Coon, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Transportation. The motorists put themselves in danger and obstruct traffic.
This was an issue for the transportation department in the spring of 1998, when white, pink and purple poppies bloomed in thick bunches by Interstate 405 between Kirkland and Woodinville, she said. State workers plant a seed mix of clover, grass and wildflowers such as California poppies and corn poppies after construction projects to prevent erosion. The 1998 phenomenon was caused after a road-widening project, when there was a mix-up with the seed mix and poppies grew in large numbers. During most years, Coon said it's unusual for motorists to stop and pick flowers, but the 1998 blooms drew many off the road.
On county roads, trees, shrubs and flowers are planted to stabilize the soil and enhance the natural beauty of the area, said Linda Thielke, a spokeswoman for the King County Department of Transportation. Her organization discourages motorists from picking them.
Q: On May 27, we had a record-breaking rainfall after several days of rain. So imagine my surprise when I was driving east on Interstate 90 at 8:45 p.m., and just before the Mercer Island lid I saw the sprinkler system on, watering the plants in the median. Why are our tax dollars and our water supply being wasted with any sprinkler system going during the always-soggy month of May?
A: During May, the state tests its irrigation system to ensure it's working properly, said Mike Katzer, maintenance supervisor for the Department of Transportation. Crews activate bits and pieces of the system to check for problems and make repairs before the routine watering starts in mid-July. The irrigation systems are not activated for long during this troubleshooting period, Katzer said, and the state aims to conserve as much water as possible.
Later in the summer, most of the watering takes place at night or early in the morning, when water has the best chance of soaking into the soil. The Department of Transportation only waters vegetation adjacent to the roadway. The irrigation system on I-90, between I-5 and I-405, is activated with a modem and timers in a nearby maintenance facility, Katzer said. As vegetation along the highway matures, it becomes more self-sufficient and the state disconnects the irrigation system.
Early warning
Mercer Island — Up to two lanes of the Interstate 90 bridge between the Mercer Island Lid and Mount Baker Tunnel will be closed tomorrow and Sunday from 4 a.m. to noon. Crews will be replacing worn and damaged lane markers.
Bellevue — The southbound Bellevue Way onramp to interstates 90 and 405 will be closed nightly from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Wednesday and Thursday. Detour routes will be provided for all ramp closures.
Issaquah — The right lane of southbound Highway 900 south of Gilman Boulevard will close from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. tomorrow and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. The northbound right lane also will be closed 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. At the same time, the right lane of the northbound Highway 900 onramp to westbound Interstate 90 will be closed.
Katherine Sather 206-464-2752 or ksather@seattletimes.com
Got a question? Send it to The Seattle Times Eastside News Bureau, 1200 112th Ave. N.E., Suite C-145, Bellevue, WA 98004. Fax: 425-453-0449. E-mail: east@seattletimes.com
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