By NICHOLE HACHA-THOMAS
Media Relations Director, INDOT Northeast District
The smell of spring is in the air — and for many that means it’s time to start spring cleaning. The Indiana Department of Transportation gets in on the spring cleaning action with its annual Trash Bash along Hoosier roadways.
Trash Bash 2015 will begin on Saturday, April 11, and will be conducted over four weekends, concluding Saturday, May 3. INDOT will call upon volunteer groups, Department of Corrections offender crews and INDOT personnel to clean up the roadsides after a long winter and rainy early spring.
Across the state, 2,400 Adopt-A-Highway volunteers helped pick up liter and debris along 1,486 miles of highways last year. The clean-up included 16,471 bags of trash and 9,394 cubic yards of loose debris. Those volunteers logged in more than 10,250 hours.
If an organization is interested in caring for a portion of Hoosier highway as part of the Adopt-A-Highway program, contact Adopt-A-Highway Coordinator Laurel McCurdy at (866) 227-3555 for additional details. The Adopt-A-Highway program helps significantly reduce the roadside trash problem and improves the look of Indiana’s communities while helping to uncover the state’s natural heritage and saving tax dollars.
INDOT encourages all Hoosiers to keep Indiana’s highways clean by following these tips:
- Don’t litter: Set a good example for everyone, especially children.
- Be responsible: Carry a trash bag in the car instead of tossing litter out the window.
- Report it: Report areas where people have illegally dumped garbage to your local transportation, public works or conservation office.
- Adopt it: To find out how your group can become involved in helping beautify an area near you by participating in Adopt-A-Highway, contact Adopt-A-Highway Coordinator Laurel McCurdy at (866) 227-3555.
As you travel along Indiana’s roadways watch for crews as they are cleaning the roadside. Reduce your speed, use caution and consider worker safety when driving through the area.