MnDOT Seeks Adopt A Highway Volunteers

The Minnesota Department of Transportation is looking for individuals and organizations to join the more than 4,100 groups and 16,000 people in the state who are Adopt a Highway volunteers.

The program has been a part of MnDOT’s maintenance operations since 1990. The program is a public service project that helps reduce litter along the roadsides and realized an estimated $6 million benefit in 2017.

“Volunteers pick up litter, keep the roadways beautiful and save taxpayers money,” said Ann McLellan, statewide Adopt a Highway manager. “When our volunteers are out cleaning the roadway ditches, MnDOT crews use their time to build and maintain our highways. It’s a win-win for all and it shows that Minnesotans care about their state.”

There are 5,455 segments of roadways defined for the program. Of those segments, 1,719 are available for adoption. Most of the available segments are in Greater Minnesota, as there are only nine segments available in the Twin Cities area.

The volunteers, representing schools, businesses, faith-based organizations, families and individuals, clean up nearly 10,000 miles of Minnesota roadways each year.

Last year volunteer groups, ranging from four to 25 people, spent an estimated 239,000 hours picking up 36,658 bags of litter. That’s more than 112,000 pounds of litter.

Individuals and groups who want to volunteer should go to http://www.mndot.gov/adopt/ to find their local area program coordinator. MnDOT provides safety training, trash bags and safety vests, and picks up the filled bags that volunteers leave at the side of the road. MnDOT also posts signs along the adopted segments of roads with the names of the volunteer groups.