At the top of the list: Prairie Dropseed - Sporobolus heterolepsis

New England Aster 'Purple Dome' - Aster Novae-anglae
Prairie Sundrops - Oenothera fruticosa
Wild Petunia - Ruellia humilis
Nodding Onion - Allium cernuum
Orange Coneflower - Rudbeckia fulgida (note: you want the straight species as the cultivar 'goldstrum' is prone to botrytis and should be avoided)

Function: are they for shade, screening, iconic, aesthetic, pedestrian control, vehicular navigation icon, drainage control, erosion control?

Safety: consider sight lines, physical nature of the plant, proximity to other activities and people, concealing bad actors.

Structural Durability: woody plants break when loaded or impacted, grasses and herbaceous perenials rejuvenate, what is present if there is a snow load.

Situational durability: polution, dog visits, compaction of soil, wind, light, road salt

Maintenance: water, fert, size, shape, catching trash, removing debris.

When you get through defining the criteria, plant selection should be a good attempt to address those equitably based on how you weight those values.