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Driving north on 1-45 through the Woodlands may be a welcome experience for many motorists because of a recent highway beautification project, that includes several miles of newly planted native trees and shrubs.
When several miles of expansion on I-45 was nearing completion, the Woodlands Town Center Improvement District started a beautification initiative. It ultimately resulted in the planting of 12,000 blooming trees, plants and shrubs. Improvement President Frank Robinson says planting trees are important for quality of life.
Robinson says the Woodlands District was one of the first to take advantage of matching funds from the Texas Department of Transportation to pay for the $1 million project. The eye-catching trees from Rayford Sawdust to 242 won the group the Lady Bird Johnson Award handed out annually by the National Arbor Day Foundation. The district went on to publish “Highway Beautification, A Step-by-Step Guide.” Robinson says it worked for them and it hope’s that the guide will help other municipalities.