Adopt-a-Highway

Join the Adopt-a-Highway program

Volunteers

Business Sponsorships

About the Adopt-a-Highway program

The Adopt-a-Highway (AAH) program is WSDOT's anti-litter and highway enhancement campaign intended to promote pride and ownership in keeping our state beautiful. This program allows individuals and groups to "adopt" a section of state highway by agreeing to take care of it for a two-year period. A standard agreement is typically up to four litter picks annually for an adopted stretch of highway. Volunteer groups may be clubs, employees of a business, or concerned citizens. All participants must be at least 15 years of age and in good health. Most volunteers take great pride in their service and efforts to keep Washington litter free. In the expanded program, a private sponsor may hire a professional contractor to clean or enhance a section of highway in return for a sign with the business name and/or logo. Hundreds of groups are active statewide, but we are always looking for more volunteers to be part of the program.

Volunteers or sponsored contractors perform roadside litter removal in an effort to:

• Keep the state clean
• Help save taxpayer money
• Remind people not to litter

Typically, an assigned section includes between two and four miles of roadside. We will install signs, giving recognition to the individual or group that has adopted that section of highway.

We also provide traffic control equipment, safety equipment, safety training, litter bags and disposal of filled bags for volunteer groups.

Adopt-a-Highway history

Washington's Adopt-a-Highway program started in 1990. In addition to this, many counties and cities have started their own Adopt-a-Road or Adopt-a-Street programs. Trails and beaches have also been included in other adoption programs. Please contact your county or city office for more information about those programs.

The first Adopt-a-Highway program began in Texas in 1985. Concerned citizens wanted to help clean up the littered highways. Since then, thousands of groups have volunteered their time and effort picking up litter on highways all over the country. Forty-nine of the 50 states in the U.S. have a program like Adopt-a-Highway.