Adopt-A-Highway Litter Teams Tackle Second Cleanup

DETROIT (WWJ) - The Michigan Department of Transportation's (MDOT) popular litter cleanup program will send about 32,000 volunteers out on Michigan highways from July 9-17, in the second of three scheduled pickups this year.

Adopt-A-Highway teams from Detroit to Houghton will scour the roadsides for trash. Statewide, there are about 3,100 groups that tackle more than 7,000 miles of highways. Their collective efforts save MDOT about $1.5 million in litter cleanup costs each year.

As a result, State Transportation Director Kirk Steudle is reminding motorists to be cautious when driving past a litter cleanup area.

"Please keep a sharp eye out for the volunteers and drive carefully... slow down and watch out for them as they pick up trash," Steudle said in a statement.

Current volunteers include members of civic organizations, churches, businesses and families. Participants adopt both sides of a section of state highway roadside to clean for at least a two-year period.

Currently, 2,800 groups are participating in the program and have adopted over 6,400 miles of Michigan highways. Since 1990, Adopt-A-Highway local groups have collected over a million bags of trash.

There are many two-mile sections of state highway still available for adoption. Groups of three or more people interested in adopting a section are encouraged to contact MDOT, or visit www.michigan.gov/adoptahighway for more details.

The final pickup of the year is scheduled for Sept. 24-Oct. 2.