How to Adopt a Highway

Adopting a highway, also known as committing to keeping a section of public roads litter-free, is a popular service program in the United States (and other countries), as well as a great way to give back to your community. Fortunately, if you’re part of an organization that wants to adopt a highway, it’s very easy to get involved in this kind of program! All you have to do is file the right paperwork with your local government, then follow the proper guidelines on cleanup day!

[Edit]Steps

[Edit]Filing the Proper Paperwork

1. Choose the section of roadway you’d like to adopt. Most adopt-a-highway programs ask you to pick a stretch of road to adopt, although the specific length will vary from place to place. Note that if you’re in the U.S., you’re not allowed to adopt a stretch of interstate, due to federal safety laws.^[1]
   
   • It’s a good idea to pick a primary stretch of roadway to adopt, as well as 1 or 2 back-ups that you could also adopt if for some reason your first choice wasn’t available.
   • Check with your local Department of Transportation to see if there are any guidelines for picking your roadway. For example, in South Carolina, the DoT asks that you adopt a rural road where there’s relatively little traffic.
2. Contact your Department of Transportation to ask for registration forms. The local department will provide you with the proper paperwork that you’re required to fill out to adopt your stretch of highway. They will also put you in touch with a local coordinator who will be your main contact throughout your adoption term.^[2]
   
   • This coordinator will be able to answer any questions you might have about the registration process or about the guidelines to your local government’s adoption program.
   • Note that depending on where you live and which section of highway you selected, you may be required to pay a fee to cover the costs of erecting your group’s adoption sign on the side of your adopted highway.
3. Fill out and submit these forms to your coordinator to begin your term. Once you submit your paperwork to your coordinator, your adoption term will officially begin. Most adoptions are between 2 and 4 years, so be prepared to commit to your highway adoption when you go to submit this paperwork.^[3]
   
   • You’ll also have to submit the name of the group that you would like to have posted on signs along your stretch of highway.
   • You may also have to fill out some safety waivers and permits, depending on your local government statutes.
4. Sign for and pick up your required cleanup materials. These will usually include regulation cleanup bags and safety vests that members of your group will be required to wear. They may also include things like safety signs, work gloves, and trash pickers.^[4]
   
   • The safety signs are the collapsible signs that some governments require you to post along the side of the road on your cleanup days.
5. Submit a renewal form at the end of your term, if desired. This is the form you’ll submit if you want to continue your highway adoption for another 2 to 4 years. As long as your group is in good standing, most governments will allow you to renew your term as many times as you’d like.^[5]
   
   • What it means to be in “good standing” will vary from program to program, but most will require you to meet your quarterly cleaning commitments and not have any major rule violations.

[Edit]Following Program Guidelines

1. Hold regular cleanup days for your group per your program’s guidelines. Most highway adoption programs require your group go out to pick up litter at least 4 times a year, although some have less stringent requirements. If your stretch of highway has a high volume of regular traffic, you may be required to hold your cleanup days more frequently than this.^[6]
   
   • The specific requirements for your stretch of highway will be spelled out in the guidelines for your local government’s adoption program. If you have any questions about them, feel free to ask your local coordinator.
   • You may also be required to give advance notice of your cleanup days to the Department of Transportation, so they can coordinate garbage collection with your efforts.
2. Wear appropriate work clothes and follow the program’s dress code. Your local adoption program may require members of your group to not wear certain items of clothing, such as open-toed shoes. Group members should also wear sturdy footwear, work gloves, and brightly colored clothes that are easy for oncoming drivers to see.^[7]
   
   • If your group is working in a very sunny area, members may also be advised to wear long-sleeve shirts and wide-brimmed hats to help prevent sunburn.
   • Wearing long jeans is a good way to avoid irritation from plants and insects.
   • Every member of your group will also be required to wear the safety vests that your local program provides for you.
3. Complete a report card at the end of each cleanup day, if necessary. Depending on your local program’s guidelines, you may be required to submit a report to your local coordinator that details what you did on your cleanup day. These typically have to be submitted within 1 week of cleanup day.^[8]
   
   • Your program’s guidelines will state whether or not you have to complete a report card for each cleanup. If you’re not sure about this requirement, you can also ask your coordinator for clarification.
   • If you’re required to file a report, the cards will be provided to you when you first enroll in the program.

[Edit]Staying Safe

1. Use your safety signs and vests at all times during a cleanup. Cleaning up the side of a highway means working in close proximity to oncoming cars. These signs and vests will help members of your group be as visible as possible to the drivers of these cars.^[9]
   
2. Don’t allow children to participate if they’re too young. Each program has a different minimum-age rule. Some programs say group members have to be at least 7 years old, while others say no one under the age of 13 can participate. Check with your local coordinator to find out what your program’s specific age guidelines are.^[10]
   
   • Any participants under the age of 18 should be accompanied by an adult at all times during your cleanup days.
3. Walk and work in the direction of oncoming traffic. This way, you’ll be better able to maintain awareness of cars that are coming in the direction of your group. Keep your group on one side of the highway so you can all move in this same direction at the same time.^[11]
   
   • Because traffic conditions can suddenly change, always be ready to react to changing or dangerous conditions on the road (such as an oncoming car driving erratically).
4. Inform your coordinator about any hazardous materials on the road. These include materials like syringe needles, car batteries, and drink bottles with liquids inside them. When you come across materials like these, flag them and contact your coordinator or your local Department of Transportation to have them professionally removed. Do not try to handle them yourself.^[12]
   
   • Depending on your program’s guidelines, you may also be asked to not handle broken glass. Check with your local coordinator to find out the rules in your specific program.
   • If you are expected to clean up broken glass, be sure to handle it with extreme caution, as it can cut you pretty deeply.
5. Refrain from going out into the street to pick up litter. Always stay at least away from the edge of the pavement at all times on your cleanup days. Members of your group should only cross the road when absolutely necessary.^[13]
   
6. Avoid picking up trash on steep slopes or in overgrown areas. It’s very easy to lose your footing and fall when walking along a steep slope. Meanwhile, areas with overgrown grass or shrubs may contain hazards that are difficult to see because of the overgrowth.^[14]
   

[Edit]Video

[Edit]Tips

• Depending on your jurisdiction, you may be required to hold safety briefings for all participants on cleanup days.

[Edit]Warnings

• Note that individuals who have been convicted of a violent crime within the last 10 years may not be eligible to adopt a highway. This would also extend to whatever organization the individual is a part of.

[Edit]References

1. ↑ http://www.palmettopride.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/group-leader-guidelines-11.pdf
2. ↑ https://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Operations/adoptahwy/information.htm
3. ↑ http://www.palmettopride.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/group-leader-guidelines-11.pdf
4. ↑ http://www.palmettopride.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/group-leader-guidelines-11.pdf
5. ↑ http://www.dot.ca.gov/maintenance/adopt-a-highway/index.html
6. ↑ https://www.ncdot.gov/initiatives-policies/environmental/adoptahighway/Pages/default.aspx
7. ↑ https://www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/get-involved/volunteer/adopt-a-highway/safety-tips.html
8. ↑ http://www.palmettopride.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/group-leader-guidelines-11.pdf
9. ↑ https://www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/get-involved/volunteer/adopt-a-highway/safety-tips.html
10. ↑ http://www.palmettopride.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/group-leader-guidelines-11.pdf
11. ↑ http://www.palmettopride.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/group-leader-guidelines-11.pdf
12. ↑ https://www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/get-involved/volunteer/adopt-a-highway/safety-tips.html
13. ↑ https://www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/get-involved/volunteer/adopt-a-highway/safety-tips.html
14. ↑ http://www.palmettopride.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/group-leader-guidelines-11.pdf