Litter on roads in Virginia costs taxpayers $10 million each year, and there’s a simple solution: don’t throw trash out your car window.
A plastic bag that flew out of the car or a bottle cap or cigarette you tossed out the window may not seem like a big deal, but it adds up. Last year, 360,000 bags of trash were picked up along Virginia roads.
Virginia Department of Transportation crews are out now picking up fast food wrappers, bottles, car tires, straws and other items that people have dumped on the side of the road.
“People enjoy views of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains and meandering rivers while driving through Virginia, but the litter is an eyesore that not only detracts from the beauty but draws taxpayer money away from other transportation needs,” said Stephen Brich, VDOT Commissioner. “We spend $10 million each year to remove litter from our roads — but it costs nothing for each of us to do the easy thing and dispose of our trash responsibly.”
VDOT said that $10 million could be spent on a lot of other things: fixing 81,660 potholes, paving 80 miles of roads or painting 21,200 miles of lane markings.
Volunteers through the Adopt-a-Highway program are pitching in to help VDOT crews through Nov.2.
VDOT: How you can help
- Keep a litter bag in the car to use while traveling to keep your vehicle tidy and reduce the chances of littering accidentally when you open a door or window.
- Hold on to trash while traveling until you reach your destination or a waste bin at a stop along the way. Rest areas along the interstates have trash cans.
- Secure your load properly by tying it down and consider covering the entire load with a tarp or netting, and always double check to make sure items are secure.
- Sign up for the Adopt-a-Highway program and take charge of litter along a section of road
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Crystal Graham
