Rather persistent herbicides are used along right-of-ways such as that.

I agree that sort of effect is most likely due to herbicidal residue, but it's possibly hardpan (compacted rock-like soil). Have you inspected it up close to see if it's loose soil or rocky? Keep in mind that if the soil was drenched with herbicides in the past, it is possible for a repeat occurance - I know of a local city which has tanker trucks (containing a well-known herbicide) cruising all its streets, with the stuff being swooshed around light poles, along gutters and beside sidewalks.

There is some research into the ability of ferns to absorb various herbicides, which indirectly indicates an ability to survive in that sort of damaged soil. Most ferns prefer shade and a moisture-retentive soil, so if your conditions suit, it might be worth trying some of the hardier bracken. I have found common woods fern to be tolerant of poor, dry soil as long as I water them during long droughts.

If this area is in the public domain, such as along a road, you can check with your local agricultural extension service for suggestions of acceptable plantings as well as with the highway department. Depending on the light/soil/moisture conditions as well as local mandates, suggestions will likely include something like crown vetch (which happens to be considered an alien invasive in my state); bushpeas, rudbeckia, and/or specific ornamental grasses.

If this strip is your privately owned land, I would suggest making a hardscaped raised bed (with a mower edge) and then plant weather-tolerant, low-upkeep varieties of dwarf and miniature shrubs and assorted short perennials. The raised bed should be at least 6 inches, preferably 9 inches above the poor ground and filled with [purchased] organically safe soil or -if you have time and energy- make your own soil the lasagna way. Keep in mind that even small- to average-size plants are likely to extend their roots to or through the blighted area and thus may not grow as well or be as sturdy as similar plants elswhere.

I knew a woman who took some bricks and made little raised bed like structures about six inches square and filled them with potting soil and grew petunias in them. It should be rather cheap to try one or two.

it is really hard-packed. The type of neighborhood we live in I don't think they would need or bother with herbicide, so I don't know about that. Kind of a poor county and we in the downtown section. (very small town)
Building structures on the side of the road wouldn't work because when the snowplows come in the winter, they would get shoved over by the force of the snow pushed on them.
it also is very much a full sun area.
I'll see if i can find who to talk to about what would be ok to plant in the area. From past experience I don't think the township would even notice or blink if I planted kudzu. But I'll try and do some resarch on the plants you mentioned. To give you an idea of what this looks like...there's my right of way section of the lawn and it deadends in the dead zone, which extends an indeterminate distance until it merges with the road.

You are going to have to loosen the soil up, or the plants' roots won't be able to get through it. Rent a very small tiller and try to work in some organic matter such as shredded leaves. (The tiny tillers actually do quite well at loosening compacted soil, and are considerably easier on the human.) The more organics you can get into the top 5" of soil the better, and put 2 to 3" mulch around the plants, after planting. Prepare and plant a small area at a time; just loosening the soil is going to be time-consuming.

Plant dry-area lovers such as rudbeckia (brown-eyed susan relatives), which is usually quite sturdy and comes in different heights and colors. Gaillardia is also tolerant of dry areas. Interplant with extra-easy annuals such as zinnias, marigolds, melapodium, and nasturtium. I've had very good luck with herbs such as lemon thyme and variagated sage on dry slopes.

Let us know how it goes.

Ok, great thanks :) Gives me something to work with. Going to try and contact the road people still and make sure there isn't something I'm missing and maybe try this out later this year or next. Going to research heather a bit more and see if that might work too. Theys say they do better in more poor soil. Thanks for the tips.

Well just did some digging and found the road extends about 4 feet into the right of way section of my yard, just a few inches under the ground. Never knew roads spread so wide O.O Will have to rethink things now...*ponders*

Wow! I doubt any of us ever considered the actual road could be under that area! Are they going to remove the dirt? Or are the authorities just going to ignore it?

Hmmm... Maybe you need to edge your lawn somehow to make obvious "this pretty is mine; that dirt is theirs!"