Minnesota Volunteers Removed 35,000 Bags Of Trash From Highways

ST. PAUL, MN — Minnesota volunteers removed more than 35,000 bags of trash from highways and rest areas last year, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

MnDOT said it is looking for more volunteers to join the state’s Adopt a Highway program, with more than 1,000 highway sections currently available for adoption across Minnesota.

The program includes more than 1,900 volunteer groups statewide, according to MnDOT. Those groups logged more than 92,000 volunteer hours in 2025 while picking up litter from roadsides and rest areas.

“We sincerely thank our Adopt a Highway volunteers for the hard work they do each year to give back to our state and help keep it beautiful. Many of our groups have been with the program since it began in 1990,” MnDOT Commissioner Nancy Daubenberger said in a statement.

“Their safety is our highest priority, so please watch for volunteers this summer, slow down and give them safe space to work.”

Groups that join Adopt a Highway are asked to commit to the program for at least two years. MnDOT encourages volunteers to pick up litter from both sides of their assigned roadway at least twice a year.

The average adopted roadway section is about two miles long, according to MnDOT.

MnDOT posts signs along adopted highway segments to recognize the volunteer groups that clean those areas.

The agency provides safety information, trash bags and safety vests to volunteers. MnDOT maintenance crews then pick up the filled bags of trash left along the side of the road.

Groups can also volunteer to pick up litter at some rest areas or sign up for a one-day Pick a Highway event.

More information is available on MnDOT’s Adopt a Highway website.