Want To Adopt A Highway?
The Minnesota Department of Transportation(MnDOT) is looking for individuals, families or groups that can join the more than 4,100 groups and 16,000 people in the state that are, adopt a highway, volunteers. There are more than 30 sections of highway that need to be adopted in southeastern Minnesota.
The program has been a part of MnDOT's operations since 1990. Volunteer's pick up litter and help keep the roadways looking great and save the taxpayers money. Money is saved because MnDOT crews can concentrate on road building and maintenance.
Southeastern Minnesota segments available are, open on I-35 and I-90 in the Albert Lea and Austin areas, and highways 56,65,69 and 218 near the Iowa border. other areas include i-90 west of Stewartville, portions of Hwy 63 north and south of Rochester, as well as Hwys 60 and 42, 43,44,80, 76 and 61.
If you are interested contact Darnell Anhorn in Owatonna at 507-446-5500, AAHD6B.dot@state.mn.us or Julie Dodge in Rochester at 507-286-7508. AAHD6A.dot@state.mn.us.
Volunteers that represent schools, businesses, faith-based organizations, families, and individuals, clean up the nearly 10,000 miles of Minnesota roads each year. last year they spent 239,000 hours picking up 36,658 bags of littler that weighed more than 112,000 pounds.
Individuals and groups that want to volunteer should go to mndot.gov/adopt to find their local area program coordinator.
MnDot provides safety training, trash bags, and vests, and picks up the bags that are left at the side of the road and provides the signs that show adopted sections of roads, with the names of the volunteer groups.