Spring cleaning: NJ begins highway trash removal

TRENTON — The New Jersey Department of Transportation has announced the start of its annual litter removal campaign.

Starting this week, NJDOT will deploy its highway operations technicians statewide in a targeted blitz on collecting trash and debris, removing graffiti, pruning trees, and mowing grass on the 2,300 miles of state highways, Acting Commissioner Fran O’Connor said.

“This annual blitz allows us to focus our resources on known litter hot spots and make greater headway in our effort to keep the shoulders, medians, and ramps on our roadways safe, clean, and litter-free,” she said.

Following the annual pothole repair campaign that began in March, NJDOT will begin to focus on litter, graffiti, and vegetation removal.

NJDOT has partnered with the New Jersey Clean Communities Council to maximize litter removal efforts through the statewide Adopt-A-Highway volunteer program. Participating community groups and organizations are given a stretch of highway that has been determined to have minimal traffic and is safe for volunteers. Groups are provided with training, safety gear, and litter removal equipment to clean up their designated section of the highway about four times per year.

If an organization is interested in adopting a state highway, please visit here.

Businesses and individuals also have an opportunity to help beautify New Jersey roadways through sponsorships. Arrange for private, state-approved contractors to clean up highways in their name. In return, a sign with each sponsor’s name and logo is placed at the beginning of their designated highway section.

With litter crews and volunteer groups out in full force, drivers are being reminded of New Jersey’s Move Over Law, which requires drivers to move over if it’s safe to do so when they approach highway workers, or emergency vehicles stopped on the side of the road.