Adopt A Road
The Monroe County Solid Waste Management District manages the local Adopt-A-Road Program!
Requirements
The requirements to adopt a road in Monroe County, Indiana are straightforward and simple!
You must adopt at least a one-mile stretch of road and commit to keeping that road clean for two years.
Four (4) organized litter cleanups must be done each year. The clean-up should be done during hours when traffic is light.
You must receive safety training and agree to a liability waiver releasing the District, other local government agencies, and sponsors of any responsibility should an accident occur.
Contact the District office at least one week before each collection day so we can arrange to have the trash picked up.
What’s Provided
Wondering what you get when you adopt a road?
An "Adopt-A-Road" sign with your family or business name will be placed at the beginning and end of your adopted area.
The District will furnish safety training, safety vests, gloves, self-standing and handheld "SLOW" signs, and bags for trash and recyclables. These items must be picked up at the District office prior to the cleanup and returned to the District office within three (3) business days.
The District will arrange for collection and disposal/recycling of the litter collected after the clean-up is complete.
Safety Guidelines
Roads can be dangerous places to work. The Monroe County Solid Waste Management District asks that all volunteers be reminded of safety precautions before each clean-up. Before going to your adopted road, please review and print our Safety Checklist to take with you to the site. Thank you for all of your cooperation.
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• Carpool to the pickup site to keep the number of vehicles on the roadside to a minimum. Also, park all vehicles as far off the roadway as possible.
• Place the "SLOW" signs at both ends of your work area before you begin working.
• Wear goggles, sturdy shoes, a safety vest, and other bright-colored, protective clothing.
• Face oncoming traffic and stay alert.
• Keep your group together, pace yourselves, take breaks, and drink plenty of fluids.
• Watch for holes, obstacles, and hillside slopes.
• Be alert for snakes, noxious weeds, and biting or stinging insects.
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• Play or do anything to distract passing drivers or other volunteers.
• Pick up hazardous materials, dead animals, or sharp-edged objects.
• Pick up litter on bridges or on construction sites.
• Bring children under 12 to the site.
• Consume alcohol or drugs before or during the clean-up.
• Pick up litter in the roadway or in the median.
• Work during peak travel times or during inclement weather conditions.
Safety Checklist
Use this page as a final check before you begin your cleanup.
Print this page and check all items below before beginning to clean the roads:
Checklist:
Are warning signs in place?
Are all participants wearing safety vests?
Have all participants been properly trained?
Are all vehicles parked off the roadway?
Is drinking water available?
Have procedures for crossing bridges and overpasses been reviewed?
Are all children ages 12-16 being supervised at a 1:3 ratio?
Remember…
Be sure to obtain all safety items and supplies from the District office.
Plan to take breaks and drink fluids, especially in hot weather.
Stay alert for noxious weeds, biting insects, snakes, and harmful objects.
Keep the group together and facing oncoming traffic.
Stop work if inclement weather begins.
Be careful on hillsides and watch for hidden holes.
Do not pick up objects on bridges or overpasses, in tunnels or on construction sites.
Keep off the roadway and out of the medians.
Don't play around! Just being on a roadside is already a distraction to motorists.
Don't bring children under age 12. Children ages 12-16 must be supervised at all times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Looking for a question or an answer you don’t see here? Contact Mary Beth King at mking@mcswmd.org
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No. Trash bags, safety vests, gloves, and road signs are provided free of charge by the District. The used bags are to be left along the adopted stretch of road for collection. All other items must be returned within three (3) business days after the clean-up.
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Sorting trash is not required, but we encourage everyone to recycle and this can be accomplished very easily. As you start your pick-up, decide who will pick up which items. You'll have two teams - the Recycle Team and the Clean-up team. The Recycle Team walks first, then the Clean-up Team follows. The Recycle team uses blue trash bags. Someone picks up recyclable glass and metal, while another picks up plastic bottles. The clean-up team uses yellow trash bags and picks up everything else.
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Especially during your first clean-up, you may find items that are too large for the collection bags, such as car parts and small appliances. Simply place these larger items next to the bags along the road.
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We ask that the participants schedule four pick-ups per year, but you are not limited to this number. In the summer, it would be a good idea to check with the Highway Garage at (812) 825-5355 to see when the mowing crews will be trimming grass and shrubs along your adopted road. It's a lot easier to pick up trash that hasn't been shredded by a mower.
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Use good common sense. Do not touch, move, or pick up hazardous materials, dead animals, broken glass, or other harmful items. To report hazardous materials, call our Environmental Compliance Inspector, Ryan Todd, at (812) 349-2016. To report dead animals alongside the roadside within the City of Bloomington, call Animal Control at (812) 349-3492. If the road is outside city limits, call the Monroe County Highway Department at (812) 825-5355.
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Responsible individuals are encouraged to be part of a clean-up crew. Children 12-16 may participate in the program if properly supervised with a minimum of 1 adult for every 3 children. Children under the age of 12 are NOT permitted to participate for safety reasons.
