Volunteers help keep highways beautiful

In eastern Ohio, nearly 140 Adopt-A-Highway volunteer groups help pick up litter across ODOT’s seven-county region, including the Towpath Trail Peace Park group headed by Bolivar resident, Joe Rinehart.

Volunteers with Towpath Trail Peace Park spent Saturday, March 21 picking up litter along the group’s adopted stretch of state Route 212 in Tuscarawas County.

Litter is costly to everyone, and ODOT is working to prevent and combat it. The Ohio Department of Transportation maintains nearly 50,000 lane miles of state highway and 80,000 acres of right-of-way across the state.

From something as small as a cigarette butt to something as large as an old mattress, litter is unsightly, expensive and illegal. Littering is a misdemeanor in Ohio and can be punished by a fine of up to $500 and as many as 60 days in jail. Motorists can be charged or ticketed for litter released by any occupant of their vehicle.

ODOT spends about $10 million each year combating litter along the state transportation system. That time and money go toward a problem that is entirely preventable.

Thank you to all Adopt-A-Highway groups for helping keep Ohio’s state highways beautiful.

Learn more about ODOT’s Adopt-A-Highway program at transportation.ohio.gov/programs/adopt-a-highway.