TromboneAl

I'm tired of riding by the trash that people have thrown onto the highway near where I live. I'm considering "adopting" that part of the highway so that I can get a permit to periodically remove the trash (Adopt a highway). Anyone done this?

bengreen79

In high school, I was in FFA and we had a good chunk of highway that we cleaned up once in spring and once in fall. It was a fun experience and always interesting. You wouldn't believe what you'd find. Trucker bombs were always funny even though disgusting. The coolest thing we ever found was an empty pack of cigarettes with $120 cash in the cellophane.

A bike club would be the perfect group for that since all you need to bring with you was a roll of garbage bags, some gloves, and hand sanitizer. You just left the bags (and any other bulky garbage) on the side of the road and the county came by and picked them up in the next day or two.

HandsomeRyan

If you just want to clean a portion of road I wouldn't even bother with going through official channels. As long as you aren't obstructing traffic I doubt anyone is going to harass you about removing trash.

Sounds like a nice way to give back to your community. I say go for it.

TromboneAl

I think that's what I'll do, Ryan. They do not want people to do this with an "encroachment permit" and safety lessons, etc., but the adopt-a-highway program is on hold anyway due to some lawsuit or other bureaucratic baloney.

ritepath

Our Jeep club used to do this, but then everyone started doing their own thing, except getting together twice a year. Our sign was reclaimed and installed in the Club presidents garage.

Bob Ross

The New York Cycle Club adopted a stretch of Route 9W in New York (just north of the New Jersey border & south of Piermont). Once a year they try to rustle us members out on a short "Clean-Up Ride". It's surprisingly gratifying work in an odd, über-responsible way.