Watch For Volunteers Picking Up Trash Along Highways

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation is reminding drivers to stay alert for Adopt-A-Highway volunteers, who routinely collect trash and recyclables along state highways.

WisDOT Secretary Craig Thompson says “It’s a sign of spring to see people so generously taking time to remove trash and debris from our roadsides. We all play a role in keeping these volunteers safe.”

Last year, Wisconsin Adopt-A-Highway groups collected more than 140 tons of trash and recyclables.​ More than 11,400 volunteers spent over 3,800 hours cleaning Wisconsin roadsides.

Adopt-A-Highway workers are asked to clean up an assigned two-mile state highway segment at least three times per year. County highway crews then gather the bagged materials for proper disposal.

An interactive map shows areas maintained by Wisconsin’s 3,017 Adopt-A-Highway groups as well as routes still available for additional volunteers. The DOT says about 2,368 miles of the 11,800 miles of state highway in Wisconsin are still available for adoption.

As part of the program, WisDOT furnishes safety vests, highway worker signs, a safety training video, trash bags, and two permanent signs identifying the group.

Each group must provide one adult supervisor for every five or six volunteers. Groups do not work in dangerous areas like medians, bridges or steep slopes.

For more information, and how to sign a group up to volunteer, visit wisconsindot.gov/adoptahighway.