Minnesota’s Adopt a Highway volunteers are the real heroes of public service. Every year they pick up tons of litter from state highways. The work is hard, never-ending and frequently thankless.

Well, I would like to offer a sincere thank you to the more than 350 groups and organizations in southeastern Minnesota who participate in Adopt a Highway. The Minnesota Department of Transportation is very proud of the volunteers’ dedication and commitment to keeping our roadsides clean.

In the 20 years since its introduction, the program has saved the state of Minnesota millions of dollars. Adopt a Highway volunteers pick up 26,000 tons of litter per year along Minnesota highways. This saves MnDOT an estimated $5 million annually.

Our department can use the resources that would have been used to pick up litter for highway improvement and safety projects.

The next time you pass a group of volunteers picking up litter, give them a thumbs up. Or better yet, organize your own group to adopt a highway of its own.

Nelrae Succio

district engineer

Minnesota Department of Transportation

Rochester