Home » Adopt-a-Highway groups ready to ‘fall sweep’ roadsides

Adopt-a-Highway groups ready to ‘fall sweep’ roadsides

FRANKFORT, Ky.  (Sept. 12, 2014) – Volunteers will be out in force next week to “fall sweep” Kentucky highways. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) announced today that Sept. 15-21 is Adopt-a-Highway Fall Sweep Week.

Unknown-1“For 26 years, our Adopt-a-Highway volunteers have worked selflessly to keep roadways in their communities beautiful and litter-free,” Transportation Secretary Mike Hancock said. “The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is greatly appreciative of all the hard work and effort that goes into keeping our roadsides clean.”

Nearly 700 groups participate in Kentucky’s Adopt-a-Highway program, which the cabinet established in 1988. Volunteers clean approximately 4,800 miles of roadside annually, setting an example of responsible environmental stewardship.

By reducing litter, the Adopt-a-Highway program promotes public environmental awareness and makes it easier to promote tourism. The program also creates a partnership between citizens, community and government, and establishes a sense of pride in the Bluegrass State.  The Transportation Cabinet salutes all participants and thanks them for their tireless efforts.

Get involved

How can you contribute to your community, make a difference, send a message and educate others – all while having fun with friends and family? Join Kentucky’s Adopt-a-Highway Program.  By taking personal responsibility for one of your area roadways, you will be setting an example for your community.

The environment is everyone’s responsibility. Adopt-a-Highway provides the opportunity to be a part of the solution. Each year, the KYTC spends about $5 million and 200,000 worker hours to remove 96,000 bags of litter from Kentucky roadways. As an Adopt-a-Highway volunteer, you will save thousands in taxpayer dollars and demonstrate to others that a clean environment is important.

Any permanently established business, association, community or public organization, or government entity can adopt a stretch of highway. A wide range of groups throughout Kentucky now participate, including homemaker clubs, Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops, high school organizations, service clubs, veterans, college fraternities and sororities, sports teams and church groups, among others.

Volunteers adopt two-mile sections of highway under a two-year, renewable contract with the Transportation Cabinet.

Adopt-a-Highway coordinators can explain the fundamentals of the program to volunteer groups, work with group members in locating an available highway, and keep them notified of news and upcoming events.

Litter pickups are held at least four times per year or as many times as necessary to keep the area reasonably litter-free. The Cabinet coordinates three annual clean-up efforts throughout the year.

How do I join?

Groups interested in becoming members of the Adopt-a-Highway Program can find details and district coordinator information at http://adopt-a-highway.ky.gov/.  Safety guidelines are provided to volunteers and should be reviewed prior to each cleanup.

Your Adopt-a-Highway coordinator will help you get in touch with your county’s maintenance crew superintendent to arrange warning sign placement on the date of your pickup. Trash bags and safety vests can be obtained at each state maintenance facility, and litter-bag removal is provided by the state highway crews.

For more information, visit http://adopt-a-highway.ky.gov/.  For questions or comments, contact Margaret Romine, 502-564-3419, or e-mail [email protected].