The Tompkins County Highway Department is inviting community members and groups to adopt a portion of highway to support cleanup efforts. Adopt-a-Highway volunteers assist with cleanup of litter and debris for beautification, road safety for motorists and bicyclists, and to reduce pollution in County waterways.
Interested community members and groups can learn more and contact the Highway Department by visiting: https://www.tompkinscountyny.gov/highway/adopt. Program guidelines are also available on the Department’s website. The time commitment for volunteer groups are flexible, with the expectation of cleanups twice each year. Tompkins County provides bags and disposes of all collected debris.
Over 60 groups have participated in the program since it began in 1992, collecting litter from nearly 100 miles of County roads. In 2019, 155 bags of debris plus tires were collected.
Kelly Chapman, Highway Department Project Manager for the Adopt-a-Highway program, said “This is a great opportunity for community organizations to step up and volunteer for the betterment of our environment. You can contribute to the safety of our roads and enhance the beauty of our County.” Chapman continued, “Groups including schools, civic organizations, businesses, not-for-profits, or even places of worship and families can participate – if you’d like to help out don’t hesitate to contact us.”
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