TxDOT Overwhelmed by Tall Grass, Weeds, and Shortage of Lawnmowers

Tall grass and weeds line the roadways across the county, including the loop and highways throughout the San Angelo area. Furthermore, many intersections are surrounded by high foliage, obscuring drivers’ visibility.

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is responsible for maintaining state roads and the area around those roads, which include the loop and highways within and around the city.

“It’s taken a lot longer this year to get the mowing contractors here because of statewide rain that we’ve had,” TxDOT Public Information Officer Karen Threlkeld said. “That has delayed the mowers in all areas of the state. And there’s only a limited number of people who do this type of work, so unfortunately the weeds have gotten enormous.”

Threlkeld said that TxDOT is currently mowing copious amounts of grass in the area and plans to start mowing in town next week.

“We have very limited amount of mowing equipment that the state owns anymore,” Threlkeld said. “What we have been doing with the equipment is what we call safety mows. If we have an intersection that needs to be mowed for visibility and safety reasons, we have been doing that with our maintenance forces.”

After several years of drought, the growth rate of grasses can be shocking after the rainfall Texas has received this year. Threlkeld said that TxDOT was not anticipating this amount of rain.

“The last several years of drought, we haven’t had to mow as much,” Threlkeld said. “What’s happening is the grass is tall everywhere across the state.”

TxDOT’s mowing contracts are bid on up to a year in advance and their schedule is planned accordingly. The schedule did not account for the unexpected rainfall Texas has received.

Threlkeld encouraged those who are concerned about a specific area along state-owned roads to call TxDOT’s offices at (325) 944-1501.

“Certainly, if we physically have the equipment and the manpower to do it, we’ll get out there and mow that particular intersection,” Threlkeld said. “At least back enough so that the visibility is greater.”

The two contractors that will be operating in the San Angelo area are Eggemeyer Mowing and R & M, Inc.

She was unsure of the exact location, but Threlkeld claimed contractors are currently mowing near Christoval and in counties surrounding San Angelo.

“We’re thankful for the rain, but unfortunately with that comes the tall grass,” Threlkeld said. “Obviously, we don’t like the tall grass either. We’re just limited in the amount of people that we have to do our mowing in our districts across the state for us.”