MassHighway Launches Litter Cleanup Initiative

01:35PM / Monday, May 04, 2009

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BOSTON — The Massachusetts Highway Department recently announced the launch of its annual roadway trash removal program. MassHighway workers, local business groups, volunteers and crews of prisoners have begun collecting trash that has accumulated along major highways.

Last year’s efforts yielded 145,700 bags (582.8 tons) of trash from Massachusetts roadways and saved taxpayers more than $2.5 million in cleanup costs.

MassHighway Commissioner Luisa Paiewonsky will join the litter pickup crews at approximately 11 a.m. Monday, May 4 in Lenox on Route 7 between Fox Hollow Road and Route 20.

MassHighway’s Sponsor-A-Highway program focuses on major routes such as interstate roadways and features cleanups along individually-sponsored two-mile stretches of highway.

Under the Commonwealth’s Adopt-A-Highway program, volunteer groups statewide, concentrating on secondary roads, adopt and clean four-mile sections of roadways. Non-profit groups, scouts and veterans have been particularly active in the Adopt-A-Highway initiative.

MassHighway also deploys up to 38 prison cleanup crews, provided by state and county corrections systems, each day.
“Our sponsors and volunteers are critical to making this program a success,” said Transportation Secretary James A. Aloisi Jr. “The result is a true team effort with statewide support.”

“Massachusetts taxpayers spend millions of dollars annually on litter pickup,” said MassHighway Commissioner Luisa Paiewonsky.  “MassHighway sponsors these pickup days to show pride in the appearance of our roadways. We ask all Massachusetts residents to join our efforts to maintain highways that are safe and clean.”