Debris litters the roadside Tuesday at Interstate 29 Exit 50 along U.S. Highway 169. The Missouri Department of Transportation received cleanup assistance from many volunteers and community groups in 2022 but still spent $7.7 million on the issue.
Debris litters the roadside Tuesday at Interstate 29 Exit 50 along U.S. Highway 169. The Missouri Department of Transportation received cleanup assistance from many volunteers and community groups in 2022 but still spent $7.7 million on the issue.
The approach of spring means cleaning, even for local road crews.
Litter and debris on the roadside can be a serious hazard for drivers, said District Engineer Marty Liles of the Missouri Department of Transportation’s Northwest District.
“There’s always stuff in debris that can be on the road,” he said. “We’ve got pieces of rubber, pieces of tire ... We’re constantly going out and trying to monitor those — the highways — and pick those up if they’re actually in the lane of traffic, could be dead animals as well. You know, we strive to be out there and be observant.”
Having to clean up is a significant time commitment for road crews, which increases the importance of volunteer help, whether that’s for MoDOT or city employees, Liles said.
“Any of that work (where) we go out and picking up litter and stuff like that takes us away from doing the work on the pavements and on the roadsides,” he said. “Fortunately for us, we have what we call the April Trash Bash. That’s where we have our volunteers come out and help us to pick up that litter.”
Some things, like tire debris or items in the roadway, are handled exclusively by MoDOT crews, while volunteers are tasked with picking up things on the side of the roadway, Liles said.
Even with assistance from residents and community groups, the state spent more than $7.7 million cleaning up litter last year, according to a MoDOT press release.
Motorists can help reduce hazards and roadside littering by securing any items in the back of a vehicle, Liles said.
“I don’t know that the traveling public understands how dangerous that can be if your cargo is not secured and actually flies out,” he said. “It (can) actually cause some harm to the traveling public behind you or to the side of you. So something for them to really consider and make sure that they really secure their loads, have them so they don’t fly out of those open vehicles.”
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