New To Arizona? Adopt A Highway

Photo by Polina Kuzovkova on Unsplash

If you recently moved to Arizona and are looking for ways to support your new home state, consider adopting a highway.

With more than 22 participating states, the Adopt a Highway program has proven to be a successful way to get involved in our communities and keep our environment healthy.

What Does It Mean to Adopt a Highway?

The Adopt a Highway program is an opportunity for environmentally conscious community members and local businesses to give back to the community by volunteering to pick up litter along a local highway system.

Why Adopt a Highway?

According to the Arizona Department of Transportation, 51.2 billion pieces of litter are left along roadways every year, amounting to 6,729 pieces of litter per mile. Highways often provide visitors and passersby with a first impression of the state. As a recently added resident of Arizona, you may want to help keep your new home state clean and presentable.

For new Arizona residents, the Adopt a Highway program also provides a free and easy way to get involved in the community and meet new people. If you have recently moved your business to Arizona or are looking to start one within the state, the Adopt a Highway program is the only way to display your name and logo on a busy highway for thousands of motorists to see every day – it’s a great way to give back and build brand awareness.

Adopt a Highway Program Options

Volunteer Program

Arizona’s Adopt a Highway volunteer program began in 1988 and is designed for individuals and groups, such as religious groups and non-profit organizations, interested in receiving a two-year permit to pick up roadside litter along certain segments of roadways. Today, more than 1,100 volunteer groups clean up approximately 2,000 miles of the state’s landscaping along highways.

How to get involved:

Adopt a two-mile stretch of highway for at least two years.
Report the litter after each cleanup session in the ADOT (Arizona Department of Transportation) Activity Report.
You must agree to pick up litter at least once a year, although three or more times per year is preferable.
An Adopt a Highway sign with your group’s name on it will be posted at the section of highway you adopted.
The Adopt a Highway program provides volunteers with safety vests, litter bags, and safety training.

Sponsor Program

The sponsorship program was created in 1997 and allows businesses to give back to the community by contracting a state-approved landscape maintenance provider to remove litter in high traffic areas on behalf of the business.

How to Adopt a Highway in Arizona

Ready to adopt a highway in your new home state of Arizona?

Here’s how you do it:

Review a map to locate the district in which you want to adopt a segment of highway.
Get assistance in selecting an available stretch of highway by contacting the District Adopt a Highway Permit Technician.
Read the General Obligations and Responsibilities and submit the Adopt a Highway Volunteer application to your permit technician.
Hold a safety briefing with your group before each cleanup session.
Have each member of your group sign the Adopt a Highway Volunteer Registration form and submit it to your permit technician.
Submit an online Activity Report after each cleanup session to report how much of a difference your group made by picking up litter!

If your business is interested in the Adopt a Highway Sponsorship program, you must contact a state-approved landscape maintenance provider regarding specifics of the program. You can find a list of these providers on the Arizona Department of Transportation website.

Getting Settled in Arizona

Moving from one state to another is often overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. AZ Auto can make your move easy and seamless by helping you obtain your Arizona Driver License and update your vehicle’s title and registration in no time. Check out our New to Arizona page to learn more about what you need to get settled into the Grand Canyon State and find a location near you.