ALDOT hyping Don’t Drop it on Alabama campaign

You may have seen Alabama Department of Transportation employees cleaning up parts of Alabama Highway 69 Friday morning. This was part of a campaign aimed at decreasing litter across the state.

The “Don’t Drop it On Alabama” spring clean-up is held in April each year and is available to all Alabama cities, counties and communities.
The event helps save state taxpayers money through local clean up efforts with dedicated volunteers.

“We urge citizens to consider the impact of their actions on the environment and to encourage others to do the same,” said ALDOT Engineer Wallace McAdory III. “Litter can clog storm drains, pollute waterways and create unsafe driving conditions. The economic costs of cleaning up litter are substantial and can impact tourism, property values and community pride.”

All eight districts within the West Central Region spent the day picking up litter. This is in addition to the full-time litter crew stationed within Tuscaloosa County that gathered approximately 50 tons of litter from March 2022 through March 2023.

“We spend about $7.3 million statewide every year picking up litter,” McAdory said. “That is money that can be better spent on improving safety on our highways and maintaining our roads and bridges.”

ALDOT encourages all Alabamians to participate in this important initiative by organizing litter cleanup activities in their local communities. Whether it’s cleaning up a park or school yard or properly disposing of litter, everyone can play a part.

Here are some ways for residents to keep Alabama beautiful:
• Dispose of trash properly
• Never throw anything out your car’s window
• Carry a small trash bag in the vehicle
• Properly secure loads when hauling loose items