Adopt-A-Highway

Keep Ohio Beautiful is partnering with the Ohio Department of Transportation’s (ODOT) Adopt-A-Highway Program to market and expand this beneficial program to help keep Ohio beautiful.

About the Program

Each year, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) dedicates millions of dollars to litter clean-up. ODOT crews, inmates, and volunteer groups clean up roughly 400,000 bags of trash along highways throughout the state each year, costing the agency a total cost of $4 million annually.

Adopt-A-Highway is one of the methods in which ODOT controls litter and keeps the state's highways beautiful. The program allows volunteer groups to adopt a two-mile section or an interchange along a state, federal or interstate route, free of cost.

Adopt-A-Highway volunteers pick up an average of 25,000 bags of litter each year, saving taxpayers $280,000.

Requirements

The program carries the following requirements:

• Groups are asked to adopt for two years and pick up litter a minimum of four times each year.
• Participants in Adopt-A-Highway should be volunteers and not paid to pick up litter.
• Groups can partner with others in adopting but may not pay another group to pick up litter.

ODOT will provide safety training, trash bags, disposable safety vests and two signs to be used at the beginning of the two mile section. The only cost to each group is their time.

Signage

Adopt-A-Highway volunteers are recognized for their efforts with two blue roadway signs, placed at each end of the adopted segment of the highway. The signs will be printed with the name of the organization or business. ODOT covers the cost the signs and installation, which will remain posted as long as the group renews its Adopt-A-Highway permit.

Additionally, families can apply to adopt a two-mile section of roadway or interchange in memory of someone who has passed away or in honor of someone who is living. Memorial adoptions will be processed in the same manner as regular adoptions, but the name of the person memorialized will be placed on the roadside signs.

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