RIDOT's Clean Rhodes Programs

You can help keep Rhode Island’s roads clean.  RIDOT has three programs open to all Rhode Islanders that will keep litter off our roadways.  We have tried to do it all by ourselves, but we can’t even though we spend $800,000 a year on garbage pickup.  With our programs, you can adopt your own piece of road, and make it beautiful for everyone.

Daily Clean Up Events

RIDOT supports one-time litter cleanup efforts but encourages organizations and/or companies that want to do these activities to adopt-a-road or a highway. RIDOT has found that the only way to keep our roadways litter free is to have regularly scheduled cleanups.

For those who do want to do a one-day cleanup, RIDOT can supply bags, gloves and grabbers. The cleaning group has to pick up these supplies at our maintenance facility at 360 Lincoln Avenue in Warwick.

Call our adopt-a-road coordinator Steve Cascione at (401) 734-4803 or email him at steve.cascione@dot.ri.gov for instructions on where to go when you get to the building. RIDOT asks that the grabbers be returned to the facility as well. Thank you for your help.

Statewide Litter Cleanups 2021 Schedule - Courtesy of KBVB

Adopt-A-Spot

Create your own little paradise on a corner, a strip on a right of way, or a traffic triangle. Then plant your plants and put your company or organization's name right on it.

• How does this work? You can either find a spot of your own or ask the Adopt-A-Spot coordinator to help you. Click here to see some examples of spots that have been done.
• How do I start? Start by filling out the application and sending it in with the spot you have chosen. Look over the limitations of how far from a road edge the plantings must be and how high they can be for visibility. You are asked to keep up the spot for two years.
• Do I have to pay? No. But you will have to sign a release form for each member of your team so that RIDOT does not have responsibility for any injuries incurred during plantings.  You also have to supply all the plants for your spot.

Adopt-A-Road

Thanks to the GFWC Women's Club of South County for their support with our Adopt a Road programs

• How does this work? This program is for volunteers who want to pick up litter on smaller state roads, specifically those that have speed limits no higher than 35 MPH.
  • Your group or even you as individual can adopt a two-mile-stretch and have your name on it.
  • Groups, businesses and even individuals may participate in this program
  • All group members must be at least 11-years-old and must be supervised by an adult
  • All group members younger than 18 must have a release form signed by a parent or guardian
  • RIDOT will provide two signs on the designated stretch of roadway with the sponsor's name on it
  • Signs are free for non-profits, businesses are asked to pay
  • RIDOT will supply trash bags, safety vests, and gloves which can be picked up at the RIDOT Lincoln Avenue facility at 360 Lincoln Avenue in Warwick
  • Groups also get temporary signage to set up alerting motorists to the presence of the cleanup group
  • After cleanup, put the bags the equipment and the signs away from the side of the road and call the nearest maintenance facility for pickup
  • For large items such as tires or mattresses, call the nearest maintenance facility
  • The maintenance facility that picks up the bags will let the cleanup coordinator know that the cleanup has taken place
• How Do I Start? Fill out the application form and contact the cleanup coordinator.
• Do I have to pay? There is no charge. It is a lot of work but gives your group great recognition not only from the signs but also in the RIDOT newsletter. Participants must sign a release form and send it to the cleanup coordinator.

Click Here for The Adopt-a-Road Interactive Map

Adopt-A-Highway

• How does this work? Sponsors, groups or businesses, hire road cleaning companies to take care of specific two-mile stretches of highway. The hired company then cleans this stretch 19 times a year. Interested parties can review a map of available highway segments. Once you pick your site, contact the cleanup coordinator. The sponsoring entity gets signs with their name on the stretch of highway it has adopted. This is a high visibility program.
  
  Available Cleaning Companies

  • Adopt-A-Highway
    Litter Removal Service
    of America, Inc.
    P: 800.390.2420
    adoptahighway.net

  • Adopt-A-Highway
    Maintenance Corporation
    P: 800-200-0003 ext. 318
    C: 714.659.4606
    F: 866.277.5163
    www.adoptahighway.com
    

• How Do I Start? Fill out the application form and send it to the cleanup coordinator.
• Do I have to pay? Yes. The group or company is responsible for paying the cleanup company directly. This can cost from $245 a month to $600 a month.

Click Here for The Adopt-a-Highway Interactive Map