The short answer

Adopt a Highway programs allow individuals, community organizations, or businesses to volunteer to maintain a designated stretch of road. Adopting a highway typically involves litter control and cleanup activities 2-4 times a year to keep the area clean and earn a road sign displaying the group’s name, with supplies provided by the state government.

The long answer

Along the highways of the United States (as well as Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and Japan), you'll find Adopt-a-Highway signs that recognize groups for maintaining the cleanliness of a stretch of road:

These signs are the result of a highly successful environmental policy program known as the Adopt-a-Highway program. Adopt-a-Highway programs also save money on roadside maintenance. I couldn't find any national studies on the program, but California reports the program saves taxpayers $19 million annually. In Texas, 10% of all roads are adopted which amounts to $5 million in annual savings.

The Adopt-a-Highway program began in Texas when James Evans, a Department of Transportation engineer, saw litter fly off the back of a pickup truck. He thought it'd be great to organize a group of volunteers for litter removal. A year later in 1985, the official Texas Adopt-a-Highway program was born, and many other states soon followed.

What does it mean to adopt a highway?

Since the Adopt-a-Highway program is managed at the state level, the rules may vary. However, here’s a general overview of how the program works:

1. Volunteers Apply: A group (e.g., community organizations, schools, churches, or small businesses) applies to adopt a highway stretch, typically about two miles long.

2. Training and Supplies: After scheduling the first roadside cleanup, the group receives safety training and supplies like reflective vests and trash bags.

3. Earn a Road Sign: After completing the initial cleanup(s), the group gets an Adopt-a-Highway sign featuring their name or logo.

4. Regular Cleanups: To maintain the sign, the group must conduct litter pickups at least 2-4 times a year.

Okay, now on to all the other interesting things I learned during the research:

Can anyone adopt a highway?

Yes, technically, anyone can adopt a highway—even controversial groups. In the United States, freedom of speech applies even to the Adopt a Highway program. In 1994, the Ku Klux Klan applied to adopt a stretch of highway just south of St. Louis. The Missouri Department of Transportation rejected their application on the grounds that the Civil Rights Act allowed the state to refuse public funding that could "further or subsidize racial discrimination."

The case went all the way to the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals, where it was decided that it was unconstitutional to refuse the Ku Klux Klan to adopt a highway. However, the Ku Klux Klan failed to meet its minimum trash pickups and was subsequently dropped from the Missouri Adopt a Highway program.

How does Sponsor a Highway work?

Local businesses often choose to sponsor a highway because it shows they are good stewards of the community – and because it's cheaper than a billboard. These businesses will either conduct volunteer days with their employees to meet the minimum trash requirements or they will outsource the work.

Businesses often choose to sponsor a highway as it helps build their brand image and is more affordable than traditional advertising. In Sponsor a Highway programs, businesses pay a maintenance vendor to handle the cleanup, particularly on roadsides that are unsafe for volunteers. Costs typically range from $200 to $600 per month, which is much cheaper than traditional billboards, often costing $7,000 to $14,000 per month.

By adopting or sponsoring a highway, savvy businesses get advertising, communities get cleaner roads, and taxpayers save money – a win-win for everyone.

Check out some other curious questions:

Sources

A&E Television Networks. (2020, March 5). First Adopt-a-Highway sign goes up. History. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/first-adopt-a-highway-sign-goes-up

Mayyasi, A. (2016, March 25). The Economics of “Adopting A Highway.” Priceonomics. https://priceonomics.com/the-business-of-highway-adoption/

Mikkelson, D. (2001, April 5). Did Missouri Rename a Highway Adopted by the KKK After Rosa Parks?. Snopes. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/kkk-highway-renamed-after-rosa-parks/

Pearson, V. (2017, October 24). Tyler gave birth to Adopt-a-Highway. TylerPaper.com. https://tylerpaper.com/news/local/tyler-gave-birth-to-adopt-a-highway/article_53b71b78-3838-5587-b538-2a2f23fb8a0f.html

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. (n.d.). Sponsor A Highway. Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. https://www.penndot.pa.gov/about-us/RoadsideBeautification/Pages/Sponsor-A-Highway.aspx

State of California. (n.d.). Adopt-A-Highway. CalTrans. https://dot.ca.gov/programs/maintenance/adopt-a-highway