ST. PAUL, Minn. – Volunteers helping
with the Adopt a Highway program pick up 826,000 pounds—more than 100 dump
truck loads—of litter annually saving the state an estimated $6 million,
according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
The Adopt a Highway program is staffed
by more than 49,000 volunteers representing businesses, non-profits, families
and individuals who are helping to clean up more than 11,000 miles of
Minnesota’s highways. The program saw an increase of 12 volunteers groups and
more than 120 volunteers in 2013.
“They volunteer because they want to
keep Minnesota highways beautiful and because they take pride in what they do,”
said Ernest Lloyd, Adopt a Highway program administrator. “Because of
volunteers’ contributions, our crews can spend more time on highway improvement
and safety projects.”
Even with these great efforts, MnDOT
is looking for more volunteers to help with this public service campaign, Lloyd
said. To become part of the program, the volunteer groups agree to:
·
Adopt
a highway for a minimum of two years
·
Select
a segment of highway approximately two miles in length (Note: only select
sections of state highways are available for adoption due to safety concerns)
·
Pick
up litter on both sides of the highway
·
Pick
up litter as often as needed from spring through fall, usually two to three
times
MnDOT provides a safety training video,
trash bags for cleanup events and safety vests for each volunteer. The
high-visibility color and reflective tape make litter crews more visible to
passing motorists.
After the group completes its cleanup MnDOT
crews pick up the filled bags and large, heavy or hazardous items from the
roadside. State workers, not volunteers, are responsible for litter pickup
along the interstate.
Another Adopt a Highway option is
“Pick A Highway,” which allows an individual, family, business or group the
option of trying out the program with a one-time pickup of litter along an
unadopted section of state highway.
Those interested in participating in
the program can visit www.mndot.gov/adopt/contacts.html for local contact information.
