The Missouri Department of Transportation’s Sponsor-A-Highway program, previously exclusive to the St. Louis and Kansas City areas, is now available statewide, providing an expanded opportunity to help keep roadsides cleaner and safer across the state.

Businesses, organizations, community groups and individuals can sponsor one-mile highway sections statewide through a MoDOT-certified service provider, Adopt-A-Highway Litter Removal Service of America, Inc., to handle litter removal and related maintenance on their behalf. Most highways in Missouri are now included in the Sponsor-A-Highway program, with the vast majority of roadway miles open for sponsorship.

“The expansion of this service, with the help of these sponsors, could allow us to offset some of the approximately $13 million that we spend on litter-removal efforts each year,” said MoDOT Chief Safety & Operations Officer Becky Allmeroth. “Every area of Missouri that is kept free of litter allows us to devote our resources to other much-needed tasks. We encourage anyone interested in the effort to keep Missouri beautiful to explore this new opportunity.”

Through the service provider, each sponsored roadway is cleaned at least once per month, or more frequently as needed. In recognition of their support, sponsors receive Sponsor-A-Highway signage displaying their name and logo along the designated stretch of highway.

In addition to Sponsor-A-Highway, MoDOT has several other programs available to help keep Missouri free of litter:

• Keeping Missouri Beautiful: MoDOT’s volunteer litter pickup program for Missouri state routes. Formerly known as the Adopt-A-Highway program.
• No MOre Trash!: Missouri’s statewide litter-prevention campaign, working to make Missouri litter-free through education, prevention and cleanup programs.
• Trash Can Contest: MoDOT’s annual contest geared toward Missouri public school students in partnership with the No MOre Trash! program to raise awareness and discourage littering.

To participate in the Sponsor-A-Highway program, call Adopt-A-Highway Litter Removal Service of America, Inc. at (800) 499-2367 or visit adoptahighway.net/missouri.

To learn more about MoDOT’s litter efforts, visit modot.org/litter.