Frequently Asked Questions

1. How did this program start?

   The Adopt a Highway concept originated in the 1980s when James “Bobby” Evans, an engineer for the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT), saw debris flying out of a pickup truck bed.  Litter cleanup was expensive, so Evans sought the help of local groups to sponsor the cleaning of sections of the highway.  Between the efforts of Evans and Billy Black, a public information officer with TXDOT, a program was developed and in 1985, the Tyler Civitan Club became the first Adopt a Highway group in the nation.  The feeling was then, as now, that providing a recognition panel on each end of an adopted section was the least a DOT could do in return for allowing maintenance crews to focus more on actual road maintenance jobs, such as guardrail and pothole repair.
   
   Adopt a Highway programs began to sprout up everywhere and can now be found in 47 states, Puerto Rico, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, and an untold number of U.S. cities and counties.
   
   In Arizona, Governor Rose Mofford was a leading motivator for implementing the ADOT Adopt a Highway volunteer program in 1988.

2. How much does ADOT spend on the Adopt a Highway program? Where does the money come from?

   Monies spent on the Adopt a Highway program come from the Intermodal Transportation Division (ITD).  ITD oversees the maintenance of the State Highway System.  The majority of funds come from the Highway User Revenue Fund (HURF).  HURF is a combination of gasoline and use fuel taxes, motor carrier taxes, vehicle license taxes, motor vehicle registration fees, and other miscellaneous fees.  No state or federal income tax dollars goes to funding Adopt a Highway.  Spending on this program for signs, safety supplies, and recognition and promotional items fluctuates year to year since it is largely based on the number of new groups taken in, but our best estimate indicates it probably represents less than one one-hundredth of a percent of total ITD funds.

3. I’m confused – when I asked ADOT about safety vests they said they were out and we had to buy ours, but a neighbor of mine just signed up and got vests from ADOT for free.

   The vests that come from ADOT are on loan and must be returned to ADOT after your cleanup activity. Vests that you purchase are yours to keep.  Our current budget situation has limited our ability to keep a continuous supply of required ANSI Class II labeled safety vests on hand for all volunteers to loan.  If we have vests on hand, we’ll loan them out, but it’s just a matter of timing if you contact ADOT and we don’t have any available.

4. Why is there so much trash on the roadsides?

   Keeping trash and debris off our roadsides is as much an economic issue as it is an environmental and aesthetic issue. Trashy roads deter tourists and businesses from returning or doing business in our state.
   
   Primary sources of litter include:
   

   • Motorists who don't use car ashtrays or litterbags
   • Refuse containers that are improperly covered
   • Construction and demolition sites without tarps and receptacles to contain debris and waste
   • Trucks with uncovered or unsecured loads
   • Refuse scattered before or during collection
   • Pedestrians or cyclists who don't use trash receptacles
   • Loading docks and commercial or recreational marinas with inadequate waste containers

   
   We use various resources to control litter, such as:
   

   • On-callcontractors
   • Adopt a Highway (Volunteers and Sponsors)
   • Inmate labor
   • ADOT maintenance staff

5. What is the difference between Adopt a Highway and Don’t Trash AZ!  Aren’t they the same?

   No.  Although both seek to reduce litter, Adopt a Highway volunteers are reacting to the trash on the roadsides by picking it up.  “Don’t Trash AZ” is the state anti-litter slogan.  It is used as an educational tool to change littering behavior so less trash is on the roadsides.  One way to keep the two straight is to think of Adopt a Highway as REACTIVE and “Don’t Trash AZ!” as PROACTIVE.  For more information about “Don’t Trash AZ!” and how you and your community can get involved, go to www.dontrashaz.com or www.arizonacleanandbeautiful.org.

6. I see new Adopt a Highway Signs on the road.  What’s up with that? I like my old signs just fine.

   New groups just coming into the program after Jan 1, 2010 will get new Adopt a Highway signs.  Eventually all groups will get the new design so as to provide consistency for all volunteer Adopt a Highway signs. However, our resources are limited, so existing groups with signs in good condition will not get their signs replaced right away.

7. How much money does the AAH program save the state?

   While there is a monetary value gained through this program, it is misleading to say that it saves money that could be deposited in a bank account.  We would never have enough funds or employees to keep up with roadside trash.  The value in this program comes from the labor we don’t pay for.  Citizen volunteers picking up trash in 2008 provided a statewide labor benefit of nearly $4 million.  By using volunteers and maintenance providers, our maintenance employees can spend more time working on roadway repairs that impact the flow of traffic.

8. Can I use Adopt a Highway to promote my business to the travelling public?

   No.  While businesses are welcomed and encouraged to join the Adopt a Highway program, this is not intended to be an advertising medium or any kind of forum for public speech or political opinion. Recognition signs are intended to identify and recognize the volunteer group or sponsor that is responsible for the litter clean up in the area.  Volunteer groups will not get a recognition sign until they do a cleanup and we are requiring volunteer groups to complete a cleanup activity within the first three months of their permit.  For more information on appropriate signage, please review the Adopt a Highway Sign Content Guidelines.

9. I called about joining Adopt a Highway but found out there was no space on the road segment I wanted.  Now what?

   You may ask the District Coordinator about putting you on a waiting list; if they can’t accommodate that, you should check back with them periodically.  If you know any groups along your desired section, you could offer to join their group – most groups welcome more volunteers to help out, however, please know that we do not give out contact information on our Adopt a Highway permittees.
   
   Other cities and counties may have Adopt A Road, Adopt A Highway, and Adopt A Street programs.  A listing of statewide litter pickup programs is available here.  You may also contact a city or county’s Public Works or Streets Department and inquire if they have a volunteer litter pickup program.