Adopt-A-Highway
An Effective Practice
Description
The Adopt-A-Highway (AAH) program began in a Texas Department of Transportation field division in 1985 and quickly caught on in adjacent state Departments of Transportation. By 1992, 48 states had developed their own AAH programs. The concept has even spread across the globe; New Zealand, Australia, Japan and six provinces of Canada now also have programs. In Oklahoma, participants adopt two-mile sections of highway and agree to pick up litter at least four times a year for a two-year period. The Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) provides trash bags, removal of filled bags, orange vests, temporary warning signs and initial safety training.
Goal / Mission
The goal of Adopt-A-Highway programs is to improve the appearance of roadsides and to reduce the annual cost of picking up litter on the highway system.
Results / Accomplishments
Highlights from the 1999 National Survey include:
- 962,502 volunteers are picking up litter in 48 states
- The annual cost of picking up roadside litter totaled $106,833,568 for the 33 states reporting.
- 27 states have an annual Trash-off event
- 43 states allow volunteers to recycle
- 26 states allow inmate "volunteers"
- 88,919 AAH groups are in the United States.
- 206,564 highway miles have been adopted in the United States.
- 962,502 volunteers are picking up litter in 48 states
- The annual cost of picking up roadside litter totaled $106,833,568 for the 33 states reporting.
- 27 states have an annual Trash-off event
- 43 states allow volunteers to recycle
- 26 states allow inmate "volunteers"
- 88,919 AAH groups are in the United States.
- 206,564 highway miles have been adopted in the United States.
About this Promising Practice
Organization(s)
State Departments of Transportation
Primary Contact
Topics
Environmental Health / Toxins & Contaminants
Community / Transportation
Community / Transportation
Organization(s)
State Departments of Transportation
Source
Oklahoma Department of Transportation
Date of publication
1999
Date of implementation
1985
Location
USA
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