Volunteers unite for Earth Day cleanup

ADOT celebrated Wednesday’s Earth Day and National Volunteer Week cleanup with the highest recorded attendance and trash picked up during an ADOT-hosted cleanup.

Adopt a Highway coordinators led more than 60 volunteers to two secure areas on the north and south sides of the Loop 202 Red Mountain Freeway bridge spanning the Salt River.  

Within two hours, volunteers bagged 1,400 pounds of trash, while ADOT maintenance personnel hauled away items too large for bags.

It was exciting to meet newcomers and catch up with individuals and business groups we’ve met during past cleanups. Click here if you would like to see our photo album.

We were thrilled to have Anica Martinez and six team members from Trane Technologies join us again. Anica said, “We have a community involvement group and we love to support our city and ADOT. It’s important for us to be able to keep our city clean and provide support to the community in any way we can.”

DHL Express USA Project Coordinator Amana Cassaro coordinated attendance for 18 team members, who quickly filled 20 trash bags sprucing up the north side of the Salt River. 

And what better way to round out a trash cleanup than with a delightful find made by Langan Company volunteer Riley Berg, who unearthed dozens of muddy Marvel figurines.

We’d like to thank all volunteers and supporters who help keep Planet Earth and Arizona’s highways grand.  

Volunteers clean adopted segments year-round to help keep Arizona highways beautiful. If you’d like to adopt your own 2-mile stretch along a state highway or join a future cleanup, please visit azdot.gov/adoptahighway.