Adopt-A-Highway clean-up to begin soon

ISHPEMING — Adopt-A-Highway groups will begin roadside trash clean-ups in the U.P. next week. April 25th will mark the beginning of the first of three clean-ups throughout the year.

The clean-up process has already begun in the lower peninsula due to having less snow. This marks the twenty fifth year of the Michigan Department of Transportation’s program.

“This program has lasted as long as it has because of the dedication of volunteers,” said MDOT Communications Representative Dan Weingarten, “other than a sign recognizing their hard work on the side of the road, Adopt-A-Highway volunteers don’t get paid anything. But they do get a tremendous amount of satisfaction helping keep our roadways beautiful.”

Over eight hundred groups have been with the program for twenty years, and about one hundred and sixty have been cleaning up since the beginning. While many people recognize the visual benefits of the Adopt-A-Highway program, there are other ways that citizens benefit as well.

“We’re very thankful to these groups for helping us out. They provide a huge economic benefit to the taxpayers in the state of Michigan. We estimate that when they take those garbage bags, like seventy thousand garbage bags of litter from the roadsides every year that they’re saving the taxpayers about five million dollars.”

There is no fee to Adopt-A-Highway, but some restrictions apply. To get in touch with your regional coordinator and find out how you can help, click here.