|
It's officially Spring and that means springing into seasonal cleaning on Missouri’s roadways. The No MOre Trash! Bash is an annual outreach of MoDOT’s year-round litter control efforts that encourages all Missourians to “pitch in and pick up” during the month of April. The campaign is designed to help curb the costs of litter control and is timed to clear the roads of trash and debris before mowing season.
In 2022, MoDOT spent $7.7 million to remove litter from more than 385,000 acres of right of way along nearly 34,000 state highway miles. For 2023, the work of MoDOT crews and additional litter pickup contracts in Kansas City and St. Louis are expected to bring that total to more than $9 million.
One way to offset these costs is with the Adopt-a-Highway program. Missouri was one of the first states in the country to implement the Adopt-a-Highway program and currently has more than 5,300 groups and 50,000 volunteers who have adopted more than 6,200 miles of roadway. This program can only do so much to curb the constant influx of litter on Missouri roadways, so MoDOT encourages all Missourians to participate in the No MOre Trash! Bash by visiting the website or calling the toll-free customer service number at 1-888-275-6636. MoDOT will provide trash bags and safety vests to anyone who volunteers to take part. Regionally, events will be announced to encourage community groups, clubs or individuals to join in the litter pickup. Even if you aren't able to volunteer, there are other simple ways to help eliminate trash along the state's roadways:
Don’t litter. Keep a trash bag in your car or truck and wait to dispose of it properly. Littering is a Class A misdemeanor in Missouri. Anyone convicted of littering may be imprisoned in the county jail for up to one year and fined up to $1,000 per incident. Illegal disposal of solid waste may be punishable as a Class D felony with fines of $20,000 or higher.
Secure your load. Make sure nothing blows out or gets bumped into the roadway. In addition to creating litter, unsecured loads can be a safety hazard to the vehicles behind you. Trailers without sides must be completely covered by tarps, truck tailgates must be up and the disposal items cannot be hanging off the vehicle in any way. Any vehicle without its load completely covered will be assessed a $25 unsecured load fee.
| 
