IDOT’s Adopt-A-Highway Spring Cleanup collects 800 bags of trash from state highways
Event draws more than 400 volunteers following long, harsh winter

[May 28, 2014]  SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Transportation Secretary Ann L. Schneider announced today that 422 volunteers collected and removed almost 800 bags of trash from state highway roadsides as part of the inaugural Adopt-A-Highway spring cleanup April 18-27. Coinciding with Earth Day celebrations held throughout April, the Illinois Department of Transportation initiative encouraged Adopt-A-Highway participants to target their designated sections of highway over the 10-day period to remove litter and debris that had accumulated over the winter. 

“I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to these volunteers for donating their time to help the environment and improve the appearance of our state,” said Secretary Schneider. “This past winter was one of the most severe ever and made trash pickup especially challenging. The positive response we received to the spring cleanup was overwhelming. The impressive results speak for themselves.”   

Launched in 1995, the Adopt-A-Highway program brings citizens and volunteer organizations into partnership with IDOT to pick up trash and keep Illinois roadsides clean. The program also educates and encourages people to stop littering. Through the efforts of more than 10,000 individual volunteers representing almost 1,700 groups across Illinois, more than 3,400 miles of Illinois roadways are cleaner, providing visitors and tourists a better impression of our state and lowering the cost of litter removal to taxpayers. Program participants typically collect and dispose of more than 32,000 bags of trash throughout the year.

For more information on the Adopt-A-Highway program, visit www.dot.il.gov/aah/default.html or email [e-mail].

[Text received; ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION]