Trash Bash brings spring cleaning to Indiana highways

Saturday, April 5, 2008

Warmer weather means it is time for spring cleaning in the Hoosier State -- and Indiana's highways are no exception. This weekend, the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT), the Indiana Department of Correction (DOC) and Adopt-A-Highway groups will kick off a major statewide effort to clean up Indiana's highways during Trash Bash -- from April 5-27, 2008.

"Our INDOT crews are constantly working to keep Indiana's highways clean -- it's a huge job that costs the state more than $2 million a year," said INDOT Commissioner Karl B. Browning. "We're pleased to partner with the Department of Corrections and our hardworking Adopt-A-Highway volunteer groups in our ongoing effort to keep Indiana's roadsides beautiful. It's one way we help lessen the financial burden motorists who litter put on taxpayers with their careless actions."

For more than a decade, INDOT and DOC crews, along with Adopt-A-Highway volunteers, have joined forces to spring clean every mile of interstate during Trash Bash. Each year, hundreds of tons of trash are collected -- sprucing up highways in time for nice weather. In 2007, INDOT workers, Department of Correction crews and 249 Adopt-A-Highway groups collected more than 34,500 bags of trash from 3,000 miles of state highways and rights-of-way.

Local Trash Bash events are scheduled at the following locations:

* Roachdale Christian Church will clean State Road 236 from the 23 to 25 mile marker on Saturday, April 19. They will meet at 9 a.m. at the church at 1 North Walnut Street in Roachdale.

* Greencastle Civic League will clean State Road 240 from the 0 to 2 mile marker on Saturday, April 19. They will meet at 8 a.m. at Greencastle Middle School, 400 Percy Julian Drive.

* Danville Boy Scout Troop No. 301 will clean U.S. 36 from the 52 to 54 mile marker on Saturday, April 26. They plan to meet at 8 a.m. at Mary Queen of Peace Catholic Church, 1005 West Main Street in Danville.

Motorists should be on the lookout for clean-up crews during Trash Bash. When drivers encounter a clean-up crew they should slow down and remain alert for changing traffic patterns.

Comments
View 2 comments
Note: The nature of the Internet makes it impractical for our staff to review every comment. Please note that those who post comments on this website may do so using a screen name, which may or may not reflect a website user's actual name. Readers should be careful not to assign comments to real people who may have names similar to screen names. Refrain from obscenity in your comments, and to keep discussions civil, don't say anything in a way your grandmother would be ashamed to read.
  • Greencastle has a sign posted along the highway east of WalMart that it is illegal to litter and that anyone caught will have a stiff fine imposed on them. I am curious as to whether that ordinance has ever been followed. Surely not looking at the litter that clutters our streets and roads in this city and county. I hope that people would be more considerate of what visitors to our area see. Another sign says "Welcome to Greencastle, a clean city." Then visitors are welcomed by our byways that are full of trash. Disgusting!!

    -- Posted by dumpsterdiva on Sat, Apr 5, 2008, at 10:41 PM
  • Here's an idea.

    Instead of families taking up their own time to clean up from other people who have no respect, why not take some inmates from PCJ (who appearently have no respect,etc..or they wouldn't be locked up),have them clean up the trash.Guess our tax dollars need to be put to some use,besides them sitting around doing nothing.If they're allowed (depending on the crime),to go out,take them out to clean.Just a thought.

    -- Posted by what_it's_worth on Sun, Apr 6, 2008, at 8:24 PM
Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: