The wind picks up from time to time here at the ol’ ADOT Ranch, and wouldn’t you know it, it keeps blowing leaves in the pool. Boy, is that annoying. 

OK, we really don’t have a pool at ADOT Ranch, and the stuff our crew members have seen blowing in the wind lately is a lot more annoying than leaves.

That would be litter. 

And tempting as it is to say that we see too much of it (and we do), the truth is any amount is too much.

We’re not the only ones who’ve noticed. There’s been a definite increase in complaints about litter on or near ADOT highways all over Arizona. 

But it was no surprise. You see, ADOT crews live and work here too, and every one of us is as unhappy about the trash and junk by the road as everyone else. Our home is too messy. 

ADOT maintenance crews, volunteers and contractors have been working very hard to do all they can. In fact, in the Phoenix metro area, the amount of litter picked up in 2020 versus 2019 increased by about 100 tons. Imagine that. And there’s more where that came from.

It’s a never-ending problem. But you can help.

First, think about the sign you see in every employee break room in the world: “Your mom doesn’t work here, so clean up after yourself!”

Good advice! The best way to help reduce litter is, well, to NOT LITTER! Don’t toss that burger wrapper, empty water bottle or cigar butt out the window. And not to be too gross in a family blog, but let’s just say loaded diapers and other such things don’t belong by the road – ever. 

The second thing many of us can do is secure your load. A lot of litter is stuff that’s in the back of a truck and just flies out. Not only is that nasty, but it’s a safety hazard.

Finally, you can volunteer for the Adopt a Highway program. In 2020, the pandemic caused a downturn in our number of volunteers just as it temporarily sidelined the prison inmate cleanup crews, but cleaning up litter is always done with distancing and other health and safety protocols.

You can learn more about Adopt a Highway on our website. 

If you’re still not convinced, take a look at some of the images in the Flickr album above. They were taken in one of the most beautiful areas of Arizona – the Rim Country near Payson. 

We can only guess who did all of this, but it was a cooperative effort of people carelessly tossing garbage into the open. 

What should be blowing in the wind? Bob Dylan would say “the answer” and that’s great, but we’d love to see just leaves whirling around, not the stuff that belongs in a trash can. 

To our volunteers, followers and travelers on the state highway, we wish you a new year filled with joy and good health.

I am pleased to report that our Adopt a Highway Volunteer group numbers have steadily increased over the past three years. Last year, volunteer groups topped 1,100. This compares to 810 groups participating in 2017. That's a positive sign of increased community involvement and litter awareness throughout Arizona.

Thanks to nearly 5,000 program volunteers, who removed  8,000 bags of litter – about 110,000 pounds – from state highway corridors last year! We appreciate the many groups who schedule quarterly and even weekly litter cleanup events throughout the year and report their litter to us, so that we may report these successes to you.                                 

While the number of volunteer groups did climb, overall the Adopt a Highway Volunteer program experienced a reduction in litter volunteer activity last year, as expected due to the current public health situation. Volunteer groups reporting an intent to schedule a litter cleanup or report their filled litter bags was down nearly 50 percent. Group leaders are welcomed to schedule cleanups by contacting a local Adopt a Highway representative to notify us at least one week prior to the clean up date, and to request trash bags and safety vests.  

At this time we are asking all volunteers to respect guidelines for social distancing and follow all regulations of the jurisdiction where your cleanup is taking place. Keep groups to fewer than 10 people as recommended by the Arizona Department of Health Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Wash your hands, especially after touching any frequently used item or surface. Avoid touching your face. 

Thank you for considering ADOT as an opportunity to unite and reduce litter along our highways. If you would like more information about the program, visit Adopt a Highway online.

If you live in Phoenix and would like to help reduce litter in your neighborhood, please visit  My Beautiful Phoenix hosted by Keep Phoenix Beautiful. The Maricopa Association of Governments' also focuses on keeping roadways clean through its Don't Trash Arizona campaign.

Arizona, Keep It Grand!

While the Three Points/Robles Junction Community Center parking lot will remain quiet this year, behind the scenes is a very different setting. 

Melissa Owen of Rancho Sierra Vista contacted ADOT in early November with a concern about moving forward with a large-scale cleanup planned in January 2021 amid safety issues from the public health situation. Owen reached out with a possible solution: Was there any way to organize the highway cleanup while allowing volunteers to remain safe in their family or group units?

You see, six years ago Owen made a decision to go big. She decided to invite the neighborhood to clean up along a local road. The catch? Her neighborhood is a bit bigger than most. In fact, it's 45 miles! Because Owen wanted to clean every mile of State Route 286, a scenic drive southwest of Tucson running between Robles Junction/Three Points and Arizona’s border with Mexico.   

What started 22 years ago as a personal goal has continued to grow and gain momentum every year. Last year was the first where literally every mile of SR 286 had been cleaned. And, as it turned out, more than just Owen’s neighbors have shown up. Friends from Oro Valley near Tucson, a friend visiting from Texas, a couple from New York, and others have all come to support the effort.  

In total, 250 bags of trash were collected by 121 volunteers last year. That compares with the 70 volunteers who collected 210 bags of trash along 31 miles of highway in 2019. 

 “It was a big day – we went all the way to the border in 2020!” Owen said exuberantly at the end of last year's cleanup.

With a track record like that, you can see why Owen was set on exploring all options to keep this neighborhood’s engagement in litter removal along SR 286 going strong.  

Her call to ADOT and collaboration with the Adopt a Highway Program team got the ball rolling. A bit of research and planning prompted an idea to repurpose an Adopt a Highway registration portal created in 2020 for National CleanUp Day. Over two weeks, the portal was reprogrammed specifically for Owen’s event. As the group leader, Owen would invite other volunteer groups or individuals to join the event by asking them to register through a link provided by ADOT. 

The twist? Participants would have an option to conduct their cleanup on any day in January. All trash bag counts reported to ADOT during the month will be tallied for an event grand total. In the end, a one-day cleanup would take place safely over a 31-day period!

The camaraderie enjoyed during a morning registration at the community center is unfortunately canceled this year. No heated containers or breakfast burritos to welcome the groups. Rest assured this gathering will be missed, but this is no setback to Owen and these volunteers removing unsightly trash along SR 286. Dedication runs deep and these individuals have a connection that continues to strengthen each year for the good of the neighborhood and Keeping Arizona Grand. 

At this time we are asking volunteer group leaders and all volunteers to respect guidelines for social distancing during cleanups. Keep groups fewer than 10 people as recommended by the Arizona Department of Health Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For more information about the ADOT Adopt a Highway Volunteer program please visit azdot.gov/adoptahighway.

We don't want to alarm anyone, but Christmas is less than two weeks away. If you still have people to shop for, but are running low on ideas, maybe we can help!

That may seem weird for a state department of transportation to say, but we do have some helpful holiday suggestions for that person that is just impossible to shop for.

As we suggested a couple years ago, if the person on your list had a particular passion, why not get them a license plate to match? With literally dozens of specialty plates that cover a variety of interests including amateur radio, the Girl Scouts and the Arizona Diamondbacks we are sure you can find the right plate for that difficult-to-shop-for person. And the best part? At $25 it's a thoughtful gift that won't break the bank. You even have the satisfaction of knowing that $17 of that is going directly toward the program being supported. In fact, for fiscal year 2020, specialty plates brought in a high of $11.4 million. 

Or, maybe the person you are shopping for has moved away, but is missing the Grand Canyon State. Well, you can cheer up folks braving a winter elsewhere with the gift of Arizona Highways magazine. With its articles on history, suggestions for travel destinations and pages of gorgeous photos, no wonder this magazine keeps wracking up awards. It's the perfect way to bring a little bit of Arizona joy into the home of your loved one all year round. Plus, there is even an Arizona Highways specialty plate if you really want to go all out!

We have an option if you are less about things and more about giving experiences. The best option may be the gift of you and your time. The Adopt a Highway program is a perfect way to bring family and friends together to serve the community and build memories doing something meaningful. It's also a great way to remember friends and family members that are no longer around to share the holidays with us.

The last gift idea is actually one that you may never give someone. If you haven't already, why not consider giving the gift of life? Nearly 4 million Arizonans have signed up to be organ and tissue donors through Donor Network of Arizona, which partners with the Motor Vehicle Division. If your vehicle registration is coming due soon, make sure to check that box to become a donor. It's a charitable act that will definitely get you into the holiday spirit and maybe give someone else a precious gift in the future.

And the best part? All these can be bought and ordered from the comfort of your own home – perfect for the saavy gift-giver trying to avoid retail stores during the current public health situation.

Trust us, it's a lot better than buying socks, ties or even – horror of horrors – a gift card at the last minute.

Kathleen Mendes thinks about beer bottles a lot. And furniture. And car parts.

Those are just a sampling of things she has seen and helped remove from her section of US 180 in northeastern Arizona.

Mendes became an Adopt a Highway volunteer back in October 2010, and has been cleaning between milepost 337 and 339 ever since. Back then there was a lot of litter that needed to be removed. Today it's more maintenance than anything.

The work is meaningful to her. She first moved to nearby Concho in 1999 and the area is home. She also feels an obligation to help leave a positive and respectful impression on the environment. When Mendes started cleaning her segment, it was an event to help instill as similar desire in others. People would come out to clean and she even made it into a scavener hunt for the kids. If the children were too young to help alongside the highway, they would be somewhere safe making crafts. Those kids are all grown now, but Mendes keeps cleaning her segment. She feels an obligation to do it and said she wishes everyone had a similar attitude. The only real investment is the time it takes to do it, Mendes said.

Her main advice for others considering adopting a stretch of highway is to not look at it as drudgery, but as an adventure.

For example, someone on the way to the dump lost a dresser. Mendes came upon it, the drawers lying nearby. She went to pick those up and found a rattlesnake underneath one. Before then she would have never thought about a rattlesnake being there since it was so near the road. It never occurred to her. She exercises greater caution now. 

In her years of doing this, as she looks at those beer bottles, car parts, and broken furniture, it's almost educational. 

It's also given her a lot more empathy for the people whose items she cleans up. It is not about discarded trash, but a million other stories that could have happened, she said.

"There is a lot to be learned. Why do people throw items from their vehicle? What is the behavior that creates the issue?” Mendes said.

If you'd like to join Mendes in keeping our state looking its best, visit azdot.gov/adoptahighway to pick our your own stretch of highway. 

On a cool, November morning (by Arizona standards), a small group of scouts from Scottsdale gathered in a parking lot off State Route 87 in the Fountain Hills area. They wore yellow-and-orange vests, work gloves and face masks. 

The task for these Boy Scouts from Troop 616 in Scottsdale? Safely cleaning up trash on the side of the highway through ADOT’s volunteer Adopt a Highway program. 

“It’s pretty motivating,” said 15-year-old Pinnacle High School 10th grader Justin Hutchison, who worked to bend down his 6-foot-3-inch frame to pick up trash. “Especially with the pandemic going on it’s important we can get out and do projects, because that’s a big part of scouting.”

The Nov. 14 cleanup was part of the Boy Scouts’ Grand Canyon Council’s Day of Service. The troop covered between mile markers 190 and 192 on the Beeline Highway, a stretch that starts the gateway to the Mogollon Rim.

“We camp quite often as a troop in the Payson area at the two Boy Scout camps up there so we drive ... 87 quite a bit,” said Scoutmaster David Hutchison (yes, Justin’s father!), who shepherded the troop through the cleanup along with the other adult scout leaders.  

“We’re just trying to serve the community,” the scoutmaster added. “A lot of them think it’s really cool because they’ve never done it, but as scouts we try and instill in them the values of the Scout Law, and providing service and giving back to the community is a big part of that, so they’re all more than happy to do this.”

The troop spread out, socially distanced along the stretch in small groups, filling two dozen bags of trash by the end of the morning.  

You can be like Troop 616 and volunteer to Keep Arizona Grand. Adopt a Highway is limiting cleanups during the current public health situation to smaller groups, as recommended by the Arizona Department of Health Services and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If your organization is interested in participating in a cleanup and/or adopting a stretch of Arizona highway, visit the Adopt a Highway webpage. 

Scoutmaster Hutchison summed up the lessons of the day of service by saying, “They’ll leave today with a lot of pride in what they’ve accomplished.”

“I like the fact that we can help our city and our state and everything,” Scout Justin Hutchison said. “We’re big about helping the community.”

What do a grateful assistant fire management officer and the mother of a civic-minded 4-year-old boy have in common?

They both recently sent thank-you emails to Arizona Department of Transportation employees whose "above and beyond" efforts deserved extra recognition.

In an email, James Robbins, an assistant fire management officer with the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, thanked everyone at the Prescott Valley Equipment Shop. 

For nearly five years, Robbins said, the shop has swiftly repaired and consistently maintained the small fleet of heavily used firefighting vehicles he managed while in a former position. The shop is one of 21 such ADOT facilities across the state that provides vehicle services to more than 40 government agencies.

“Whether it is a fire crew carrier, heavy duty chipper, pickup truck or a fire engine, new or old and abused, your team has rallied to help us get back on the fire line as quickly as possible time and time again,” Robbins wrote. “Every one of your team members has acted in a professional manner and truly seems to do their best in helping us with our mission, and I want you to know that we truly appreciate it.” 

It’s not often that maintenance shop employees receive such accolades from someone who took the time to put together a note and send it, said Lionel McFarlane, ADOT maintenance operations manager.

“This was an unusually nice gesture,” McFarlane said.

In the next thank you story, Jack Eldridge, 4, was on his way to preschool with his mother when he spotted trash on Loop 101 Pima Freeway near the 64th Street off-ramp.

“We should stop and clean this up,” Jack said to his mom, Jennifer.

Jennifer said she thought it a good idea and decided to see if she could organize a cleanup with some of his preschool buddies and their families.

She reached out to Mary Currie, ADOT’s Adopt a Highway communications programs manager, and asked if they could clean that stretch of L-101.  

“This is my 4-year old’s idea and I want to try and see it through,” Jennifer wrote.

Currie researched the issue thoroughly with several other ADOT employees. The finding was that particular segment, located in the busy urban Phoenix area, is unsafe for volunteer activity. In fact, the area is part of the Adopt a Highway Sponsor Program, but clean-up activity is on hold as maintenance crews continue the ongoing widening project in that area.

What’s more is that volunteers have to be at least 12 years old and have a parent sign a participation form to participate in the volunteer program. 

So while the answer was “no,” it was the way Currie said it that meant so much to Jennifer. That and the fact that her correspondence resulted in a speedy cleanup of the area. 

“She (Currie) took the time to call and say how much she appreciated my child’s interest and talked about other ways our family could get involved,” Jennifer said. “She sent us about 12 lapel pins that say 'Keep it Grand,' pencils and 'Stormwater in the Desert' activity books.”  

Jack cherishes the items and carries them around in his backpack, she said.

“Thank you so much for your letter and the materials you sent to us! We are thrilled!,” Jennifer wrote. “I will look into the Adopt a Highway program for my husband and I to get involved with (and for Jack too when he’s age-appropriate). By the way, I noticed a week or so ago that the exit at 64th Street and the 101 is CLEAN (at least for now). Jack noticed too! So, thank you so much!”

But even better, he and his mother shared the materials with his preschool class, and his teacher used them for a unit about sustainability and pollution and urged them to pick up their own trash.

“Mary went above and beyond!” Jennifer said. “I really appreciate the work you do.”

For her part, Currie shared credit with the other ADOT employees who helped create this story.

“For this family and a classroom of 4-year-olds, you’ve set in motion a belief that being civic-minded can make a difference in the community,” Currie told her fellow employees in an email. She also sent them the thank you from Jack, Jennifer, and Jennifer's husband, Ashton.

Jack and other kids can click on the ADOT Kids link to learn more about transportation and have some fun while learning too. If you would like to learn more about adopting a segment of highway with your family or friends, visit the site for the Adopt a Highway Volunteer Program.

This year marks the third in a “call to action” for Adopt a Highway group participation on National CleanUp Day. 

More than 60 volunteer groups and hundreds of volunteers in 13 Arizona counties displayed community pride by caring for their adopted segments. 

This year ADOT offered one-day permits to interested participants. A few have already decided they want to move forward with adopting a stretch of highway for future cleanups! Those volunteers will receive a group recognition sign at their designated area. We want to thank all volunteer groups and individual participants who came out to remove litter this year.  

Litter reports are beginning to roll in with only 15% of groups reporting 200 bags of litter collected. Last year 100% reported 196 bags collected statewide, so this is just the beginning of a huge win for Arizona and our beautiful communities.

This year, the Adopt a Highway event registration portal launched for the first time, capturing four times the number of groups participating in 2019. 

Registered groups that complete the activity report to let us know the number of litter bags filled and other volunteer data, will receive an electronic certificate of appreciation created for this event. 

A special thank you to the many volunteers who welcomed our onsite visits during our 392-mile journey on Saturday.  Here’s what a few group leaders had to say about their volunteer experience:

“What a great way to contribute to our community and keep Arizona clean and grand — and we’re having a blast.” - Yvonne McLemore, first-time participant and one-day permit turned permanent adoption. 

I asked Rick Winfrey, a one-day volunteer, on State Route 79 , what the significance was for cleaning up this portion of the highway. He told me that he has been a frequent traveler of this road over the last 20 years: “It’s very pristine out here. I love the saguaros and the raw desert. It was time to take a leap and adopt a mile.” 

Rick also moved forward with a permanent highway adoption across from the Tom Mix Memorial and near the Town of Florence. The volunteer group sign is a memorial to beloved family members, two labrador retrievers. “Forever in our hearts, Opie & Maggie Winfrey.”

National CleanUp Day is celebrated annually in the United States on the third Saturday of September. It promotes both organized and individual cleanup events and volunteering to keep the outdoors clean.

Erica Barron is a group leader representing an adopted segment on SR 79 near Oracle. She says, “Arizona is such a beautiful state. I think it is awe inspiring and keeping our state clean and beautiful is all of our responsibilities. It makes me feel great that I can be a part of the beauty of Arizona.”

Pat Barron said, “I believe keeping Arizona clean helps to preserve the natural beauty of Arizona, and that’s what I’m about.” Pat expanded on some of the treasures found along the highway during their cleanups and challenged others to “come on out and join us!” 

Gene Van Dyken, group leader for Green Valley Litter Patrol south of Tucson said, “It’s a feel-good thing, definitely. If we don’t proactively go out there and pick it up, it’s not going to get done.” Gene leads a robust team of more than 30 volunteers. Their volunteer group removed a whopping 93 bags of litter on Saturday and the days leading up to National CleanUp Day. The Green Valley Litter Patrol is pictured in the photo above right. 

Stay tuned to for updated event information and more volunteer stories on the ADOT Blog. And learn more about a few fantastic partners in this cleanup effort - Don’t Trash Arizona and My Beautiful PHX.  If you would like to learn more about adopting your own stretch of highway please visit the Adopt a Highway website or email us.

Did you know that today, September 19, is National CleanUp Day? 

That's right, today is the day when everyone is encouraged to help keep our outdoors looking great by picking up litter.

Last year on National CleanUp Day, 1.3 tons of litter was removed from along Arizona’s highways. That’s huge! You can help by picking up trash in your own neighborhood. Be sure to be safe, watch for cars and bikes, and wash your hands when you are done! Challenge your friends to see who can pick up the most trash from your neighborhood!

For those too young to join in, but still want to show their support for keeping Arizona, we have a Adopt-a-Highway-themed ADOT Kids word search and scramble! Download your own copy by clicking on the activity sheets below.

If you are able to get out there and help today, please share your experience with us! Use the hashtag #NationalCleanUpDay and tag your photos with @ArizonaDOT on social media or email your photos to us: [email protected].

The Adopt a Highway Volunteer Program is an important program for Arizona. Over 1,100  groups volunteer to pick up litter from along the state highways each year. Permits are needed to participate on an annual basis, and one-time pick-up permits are also available. Anyone 12 and older can participate.If you live in Maricopa County, learn more about reducing litter from Don’t Trash Arizona! If you would like to help reduce trash in your neighborhood, please visit My Beautiful Phoenix hosted by Keep Phoenix Beautiful.

Arizona, Keep It Grand!