The Washtenaw County Road Commission will kick off another year of roadside clean-up efforts with its "Adopt-A-County Road Program" (AACR), beginning the weekend of April 21-22, 2007, which will coincide with the 37th Annual Earth Day on April 22. The AACR program began a year ago after the Board of County Road Commissioners approved its implementation.
Modeled after the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) Adopt-A-Highway program, the AACR program is a litter-reduction campaign designed to remove litter and debris from county roadsides and improve the quality of the environment. It also provides an opportunity for individuals and groups to become involved in a positive community activity. The purpose of the program is to establish a partnership between volunteer groups and the Road Commission by working together to control the accumulation of litter along county roadways.
Last year, four groups participated in the AACR. The West Washtenaw Business Association was the first to join, adopting a two-mile stretch of the Jackson Road Boulevard. The other three groups to join in 2006 were Midwestern Consulting, LLC, adopting 2 miles of Ellsworth Road, Viva Ventures, adopting 1.5 miles of Oak Valley Drive, and Blessed Louis Guanella Knights of Columbus Council 3092, adopting 2.6 miles of Waterloo Road.
"We are again accepting new applications, so we encourage other groups who are interested in adopting their favorite county road to contact our Permits Engineering staff as soon as possible, so they can sign up in time for the first clean-up weekend," said Gary Streight, Supervisor of the Permit Engineering Section.
This year, the schedule for weekend AACR trash pick-ups in Washtenaw County will be April 21-22, 2007, July 14-15, 2007, and September 8-9, 2007.
The county clean-up program is open to all individuals, service organizations, businesses, families, friends, and others who want to contribute to their neighborhood beautification as well as enhance their organization or company image through community involvement and stewardship.
‘We are pleased to be able to continue this program in 2007, and would like to thank the groups that participated last year. They should be recognized and commended for their conscientious citizenship! They see the benefits of this program in their communities; and its success can be measured by the miles of roadways they cleaned of unsightly litter and debris. Clearing away roadside trash is a great safety benefit for our maintenance crews too, who could be severely injured by broken glass or other debris as they mow or perform other work in the road rights-of-ways this time of year,‘ said Steve Puuri, Road Commission Managing Director.
Of course, as with their road crews - the Road Commission’s primary concern is for the safety of the Adopt-A-County Road volunteers. That is why every volunteer is required to view a safety training video, and each group's coordinator is required to hold a safety meeting at least once annually prior to the first pick-up day. All participants are required to wear safety vests, which are provided by the Road Commission, and advance warning signs are provided to the group coordinator prior to the first pick-up date.
“We would also like to warn motorists to be aware of these Adopt-A-County Road volunteers as they are out working in the road rights-of-way. To further ensure their safety, we ask that drivers slow down and use extra caution whenever you see these fluorescent-vested groups out conducting a weekend clean-up. It is the best way the motoring public can show their appreciation to these dedicated citizens who are donating their time and hard work to keep our roadways beautiful,” concluded Puuri.