Roadway Litter a Major West Alabama Cost

You may think spring cleaning at home is a chore but try cleaning up West Alabama's state highways. Crews from the West Alabama Region of the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) spent Thursday cleaning highway rights of ways of tires, paint cans, drink cans, bottles, sacks, and much more debris thrown from cars or deposited on the side of the road. It was all part of the West Central Region's third annual Spring Cleaning.

According to an ALDOT press release, all eight districts, and personnel working within them, participated by collecting litter along various state highways yesterday. The initiative supports ALDOT’s broader commitment to raising awareness about the impact of littering and the financial burden it places on the state.

Despite these now annual efforts, ALDOT spent $9.4 million statewide in 2024 on litter removal. That is a $500,000 increase from 2023, where ALDOT spent nearly $9 million. In 2022, ALDOT spent $7 million.

Here in the West Central Alabama District ALDOT paid out $1,353,735.45 to declutter state road rights-of-way. That does not include county or municipal roadway litter.

In the press release it was noted that littering isn’t just illegal – it wastes taxpayer dollars that could be better spent on safety and infrastructure. Keeping Alabama’s roads clean and keeping Alabama beautiful is a shared responsibility.

“The less money we spend on litter cleanup, the more we can invest in making roads safer for everyone,” ALDOT spokesperson James Gordon wrote.

ALDOT encourages all Alabamians to help by organizing litter cleanup activities in their local communities. Whether it’s picking up litter in a park or simply disposing of litter, everyone can play a part.

A U.S. National Park Service study found a plastic bottle can take up to 450 years to decompose. Small actions today help prevent long-term harm to the environment for years to come.

Among the things we can do to help are:

•  Dispose of trash properly
•  Never throw anything out of a vehicle window
• Carry a small trash bag in the vehicle
• Properly secure loads when hauling loose items

The West Central Region includes Bibb, Chilton, Fayette, Greene, Hale, Lamar, Marion, Perry, Pickens, Sumter, Tuscaloosa, Walker and Winston counties.