2.5 million pounds of litter removed through Idaho's Adopt-a-Highway program during last quarter century

Idaho roadsides owe a debt of thanks to the state's Centennial Celebration a quarter-century ago.

A program was created 25 years ago in the anti-litter fervor of the statewide “Idaho is too great to litter” campaign, spurred on by then-Gov. Andrus. On April 30, 1990, the department introduced the Adopt-a-Highway program to help keep Gem State roadsides clean.

Through the program, volunteer groups “adopt” a specific stretch of highway — usually two miles long — and take responsibility for keeping it clean through regular litter patrols. Each group commits to conducting multiple clean-up efforts per year.

One of the earliest participants in the program was Boy Scout Troop 94, who adopted a two-mile stretch of Idaho 55 north from Shadow Valley Golf Course just outside of Boise on the way toward Horseshoe Bend. The twice-annual clean ups occur typically in May and again in October/November.

The troop’s roster averages around 40 scouts and they have conducted highway cleanups with as little as eight scouts and up to 30 scouts.

“The boys always find something interesting — car emblems, deer carcasses, snake skins, beer and pop cans, trash, and, of course, lots of golf balls near the golf course,” said Ina Jaszkowiak (pronounced Jazz koe vee ack), committee member and former den leader.

“When my son, Mark, led the Highway Cleanup for his Life Project in May 2013, the participants gathered 25 bags and two huge boxes of trash. The guys were most proud of the 192 golf balls they collected. Some of the balls were even on the far side of the highway from the golf course,” she added.

When the scouts turned in the balls at Shadow Valley Golf Course, the manager treated them to free fountain drinks.

“At a recent cleanup, we were plodding along at the end of a long morning, and I spied something in the bushes,” said Jaszkowiak. “It was a very good quality rod and reel worth almost $200! Since a scout is honest, I ran a lost-and-found ad on Craigslist for several weeks to find the owner. No one responded to the ad, and so we had a drawing to pair the rod with a new ‘fishing buddy.’ 

Everyone who had helped with the Highway Cleanup was entered into the drawing. When we drew the winner's name, he couldn't believe his good luck. Another boy on that outing found a $10 bill, and since it was impossible to find the true owner of cash, he got to keep it.”

Greg Daggett, Troop Committee Member and Life Project Coach, figures that they spent about 3,500 hours cleaning the highway during the 25 years they’ve been involved. Daggett said Troop 94 utilizes the highway cleanup program to provide practical leadership experience to the scouts.

As one of the scouts wrote in his Activity/Outing Permission Form, the effort serves to “reinforce with scouts and parents the importance of community service.”

Pictured at left is Troop 94 preparing to clean the highway in October 2014.

Over the years, the Adopt-a-Highway program has accounted for more than one thousand tons of trash picked up from Idaho’s roadsides, amounting to millions of dollars in savings that were then re-directed to highway construction and needed maintenance to improve highway safety and driving conditions.

ITD estimates that the program saves about $750,000 annually — in 25 years that added up to nearly $19 million. More than 2.5 million lbs. of trash and debris have been removed from Idaho’s roadsides through the program, including the trash pick-up efforts of inmate crews through the Department of Corrections.

There are more than 1,000 active volunteer groups participating in the statewide program. More than half of Idaho’s highways have been adopted. However, there are still many opportunities for other groups and individuals to get involved. About 30 percent of the roadsides on the state’s highway system are available for adoption.

For more information about the Adopt-a-Highway program, contact the area coordinator, listed below:

District 1 Coordinator         Coeur d’Alene        Andrea Littlefield, 208 772-1238
District 2 Coordinator         Lewiston               Shane Niemela, 208 799-5090
District 3 Coordinator         Boise                    Janet Gregory, 208 334-8350
District 4 Coordinator         Shoshone              Joyce Shaw, 208 886-7871
District 5 Coordinator         Pocatello               Sharon Short, 208 239-3300
District 6 Coordinator         Rigby                    Todd Grover, 208 745-5631

 


Published 04-24-15