PIERRE, SD – The South Dakota Department of Transportation reminds people that Interstate Highway Right-of-Way Mowing Permits are available for land that abuts Interstate 90 or Interstate 29.
Landowners or tenants of land abutting I-90 or I-29 are eligible to apply for Interstate Highway Right-of-Way Mowing Permits. Non-adjacent landowners, who wish to hay a portion of an interstate right-a-way, must have a signed waiver which transfers the hay harvesting rights from the individual or company who controls the abutting land.
The permittee is required to abide by certain rules set by the SDDOT to ensure the safety of the public and the permittee. These rules include but are not limited to, the permittee must have liability insurance in the amount of $50,000 property damage and $100,000 personal liability to cover any and all claims, all hay must be removed from the right-of-way within 30 days of being processed, bales shall be left no closer than 30 feet from the edge of the roadway, hay harvesting of divided medians is not allowed, and access to haying areas shall be made only through gates provided in the right-of-way fence.
An Interstate Highway Right-of-Way Mowing Permit is required to harvest hay on the land abutting I-90 or I-29. All permits expire on the first of October of the year they are issued. Permits must be renewed every year to maintain hay harvesting permission.
While permits are only required for interstate right-of-way hay harvesting, the SDDOT encourages all individuals harvesting roadside hay to abide by the rules that have been set for permittees.
For complete details and additional information, the SDDOT Interstate Highway Right-of-Way Mowing Permit can be found at apps.sd.gov/hy10dotforms/eforms/Mowingpermit.aspx or physical copies will be available at SDDOT Region Offices. Information on Region Offices can be found at dot.sd.gov/inside-sddot.