A record number of volunteers are now taking part in the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s Adopt-A-Highway program – established in 1991 – as annual roadside cleanup efforts begin along the state’s highways with the seasonal change and advent of spring weather.
[Above photo by Wisconsin DOT]
The agency said over 3,100 groups now participate in its Adopt-A-Highway program; spending more than 6,000 volunteer hours collecting more than 170 tons of trash and recyclables in 2025 alone.
“Each year, Wisconsinites generously volunteer to pick up other people’s trash and recyclables along the roadside,” noted Kristina Boardman, Wisconsin DOT secretary, in a statement.
“We’re proud of how Wisconsin’s Adopt-A-Highway program has grown over the years with nearly 18,000 volunteers currently helping keep Wisconsin beautiful,” she added. “We simply ask Wisconsinites and visitors to do their part by properly disposing trash and watching out for these volunteers along the roadsides.”
Across the country, state departments of transportation are engaged in a variety of efforts aimed at keeping highways free of litter and other debris.
In March, the Arkansas Department of Transportation launched a new website for the Adopt-A-Highway program.
The new website, now live on the ardot.gov main menu, is designed to make it easier for state residents to get involved in keeping Arkansas roadways and rights-of-way clean and beautiful.
Meanwhile, the North Carolina Department of Transportation hosted its annual Spring Litter Sweep from April 11 to April 25. Each spring and fall, NCDOT crews and volunteer groups dedicate a full week to collecting litter from North Carolina’s roadsides.
“It’s about volunteers showing up with gloves and bags, working together and taking pride in their communities,” explained Jeremy Goodwin, NCDOT roadside environmental engineer, in a statement. “When people come together to do something simple, like picking up litter along the roads, it makes a big difference—not just for the appearance of our highways, but for everyone who uses them every day.”
