A road verge, (also verge, boulevard, city grass, devil's strip, nature strip, parking strip, planting strip, sidewalk buffer, tree belt, tree lawn, utility strip, parkway etc.) is a narrow strip of grass or plants and sometimes also trees located between the carriageway (roadway) curb (or road surface edge or shoulder) and the boundary (right-of-way line) of a road.
The land is often public property with maintenance usually being a municipal responsibility, however some municipal authorities require that abutting property owners maintain these areas and also sidewalks, in other places is it customary for owners of the abutting private property to maintain these areas.
Benefits include visual aesthetics, increased safety and comfort of sidewalk users, protection from spray from passing vehicles, a space for, benches, bus shelters, street lights and other public amenities. It is also often part of sustainability for water conservation or the management of urban runoff and water pollution and may provide useful wildlife habitat. Snow that has been plowed off the street in colder climates may be stored in the area.
The main disadvantage is the right-of-way must be wider, increasing the cost of the road.
Read more about Road Verge: Terminology, Sustainable Urban and Landscape Design, Rural Roadsides, Gallery
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