Adopt-A-Highway

What is Adopt-A-Highway?

Adopt-A-Highway is a program offering North Dakota residents an opportunity to show they care about the environment.
You and your group can show your concern whether you live close to a city or in a rural area. Food wrappers, aluminum cans, newspapers, cigarette packs, and diapers, are left behind by many careless people along our state's roadways. When trash and debris litter our roadways, it does not leave a good impression on motorists traveling through our state.

An effective way to reduce both litter and the overall cost of litter removal is through the Adopt-A-Highway program. By volunteering to clear a three-mile section of a state highway during the months of April through September and such times as the group deems appropriate, your group will show it cares about the environment. Your group can also help to minimize roadway maintenance costs and save taxpayer dollars. Keeping our roadways clean is the responsibility of all of us. Garbage is unsightly. Help us Keep North Dakota Clean and Green.

Volunteers partner with North Dakota:

By volunteering you or your organization's time, you can help to create a good first impression of North Dakota, while spreading the message that littering along highways hurts North Dakota’s environment and scenic quality. Under the Adopt-A- Highway Program, you or your group can help to beautify North Dakota three miles at time. As an added bonus, your group’s name will be placed on an Adopt-A-Highway sign along the section of roadway you have adopted.

Resources

Adopt-A-Highway Rules and Guidelines

Group acknowledges the hazardous nature of litter pick up and agrees to the following terms and conditions:

• When participants are 15 years of age or younger, the group shall furnish adequate adult supervision.
• Each group shall conduct at least one safety meeting per year, not more than 30 days before commencing the initial work. Participants must attend a safety meeting before participating in any work. The attachment to this agreement, “Safety Tips for Adopt-A-Highway Groups” shall be covered at all safety meetings.
• groups shall adopt a section of roadway that is normally three miles in length. No litter pickup is permitted in the medians of expressways or freeways.
• The adoption period shall be for a minimum of three years.
• The group shall pick up litter in May, July, and September each year and such other times the group deems appropriate.
• The group shall obtain trash bags from NDDOT during regular business hours.
• The group shall place the filled trash bags just off the outer portion of the shoulder of the road for pick up by NDDOT.
• Unused trash bags shall be returned to NDDOT within one week of the cleanup.
• The group shall be considered an independent contractor and not an employee of NDDOT for any purpose, such as workers compensation, medical insurance, nor any job benefits normally provided to full-time classified employees.
  
• The Group agrees to comply with all applicable laws and rules, including, but not limited to, those relating to nondiscrimination, accessibility, and civil rights.
• The group and each of the participants agrees to release the State of North Dakota, its agencies, officers and employees (State), from any and all claims of any nature, including all costs, expenses and attorneys’’ fees, which may in any manner result from or arise out of this agreement.

NDDOT agrees to:

• Erect, as soon as feasible, a permanent sign at each end of the adopted section of the highway or at the beginning of the section if only one side of the highway is being cleaned, with the group’s name or acronym displayed.
• Provide safety vests (Effective November 24, 2008, all workers within highway right-of-way are required to wear ANSI/ISEA 107-2004 compliant safety vests).
• Provide trash bags.
• Remove the filled trash bags the first feasible workday after the pick up.
• Remove litter from the adopted section when unusual circumstances are discovered; i.e., large, heavy, or hazardous items are on the right of way.

If in the judgment of NDDOT, it is determined that the group has failed to perform its duties, NDDOT may terminate this agreement upon 30 days written notice to the group and remove the signs.

Safety Tips for Adopt-A-Highway Groups

REMEMBER: You are working in a potentially dangerous environment - a public highway.

• Every crew member should possess the following attributes:
• Ability to perform tasks and be responsive to changing traffic pattens
• A sense of responsibility for safety of public and crew.
• Knives, machetes, axes, etc. should not be carried by crew members. Do not attempt to compact(squeeze) trash bags to gain room for more trash. Injuries from broken or jagged objects often result from this practice. Fill the bag with what goes in easily and then get another bag.
• Park all vehicles well clear of the roadway and at least 10 feet from the shoulders surface.
• Do not walk across interstate highways. Use the bridges.
• Stay off rip-rap and steep slopes.

To protect yourself and others, do the following:

• Whenever possible, face oncoming traffic while you work. Be prepared to move out of the way of errant vehicles.
• Discontinue work in inclement weather, especially in times of reduced visibility, wet/icy roads, during electrical storms, and during other than daylight conditions.
• Avoid overexertion. Drink plenty of water, especially on warm, humid days.

What to wear:

• Wear ANSI/ISEA 107-2004 Class II high visibility garments while within the highway right-of-way.
• Wear light-colored clothing at all times when working on the right-of-way.
• Wear heavy gloves.
• Wear substantial leather shoes or boots with ankle support. Watch for footing.
• Wear a hat and long sleeves to avoid sunburn. You may wish to use a sunscreen lotion on sunny days.

Some things to stay away from:

• Do not attempt to remove unknown or suspected toxic/hazardous substances. This could include meth byproducts such as containers with hoses duct taped to spouts, empty starter fluid cans, propane tanks with discolored valves, or coffee filters, or bags containing a grayish/white substance. Notify NDDOT or the police of the location of such items immediately.
• Do not enter the roadway or its shoulder areas, paved or unpaved, to pick up trash.
• Do not pick up trash in the median of interstate/multi-lane highways.
• Pick up pop bottles and similar containers only with great care. They may contain HUMAN WASTE.
• Do not pick up discarded syringes, hypodermic needles, or broken glass.

In case of emergency:

• Every crew should possess an adequate first aid kit. Be prepared for serious injury; select an emergency room/hospital and know the route from the work area to the designated treatment center.
• Every crew should have transportation immediately available.
• If possible, bring a cellular phone or CB radio with a fully-charged battery.