Adopt A Highway Program

Administered since 1994 and in accordance with CGS Sec.13a-97b the Connecticut Department of Transportation’s Adopt A Highway Program is a beautification program intended to encourage community and civic organizations, businesses, non-profit organizations and private citizens to participate in a continuing effort to keep the roadsides of attractive and clean from litter.

The programs provide for public involvement in highway beautification activities. Under ADOPT A HIGHWAY, business groups and non-profit community organizations would be allowed to adopt a section of highway. The group is then responsible for litter pick up. Other beautification activities, such as the planting of flowers and shrubs appropriate to the surrounding landscape, can be accomplished under the ADOPT A RAMP program. These programs offer a means for others to help their community by cleaning a segment of highway. In exchange for their participation in the program, a sign is erected within the limits of the adopted area recognizing their organization.

This program demonstrates another example of the partnership that exists between state government and its constituents. The Connecticut Department of Transportation welcomes the participation of volunteers in this continuing effort to keep the roadsides of our state attractive and clean. Interested groups, together with their respective towns, are encouraged to partake in the Adopt A Highway programs.

There are two types of Adopt A Highway Programs offered by the Connecticut Department of Transportation. One is for Interstate Highways, and the other is for State Secondary Roads. Limited access highways such as the Merritt and Wilbur Cross Parkways are excluded from the program.

The Interstate Highway Program involves the choice of one of two private companies which coordinate the litter removal and sign installation in exchange for a fee, they are:

The sponsor chooses the company they wish to utilize and the company coordinates the litter removal and sign installation with the Department of Transportation through an encroachment permit. The company then arranges the litter removal of a two-mile stretch of highway approximately once per month. In recognition for their sponsorship an Adopt A Highway sign is installed within the stretch of highway chosen and the Sponsor’s name placed on the sign panel. The period of sponsorship is 1 year after which time it can be renewed.

The State Secondary Road Program is coordinated through the Office of Maintenance and Highway Operations directly within each district office and works similarly to the interstate program, only there is no fee imposed on the sponsor and the litter removal must be performed by the groups that sponsor the program and not by a third party. In exchange a sign is placed in each direction of the highway under adoption.

PROGRAM GUIDELINES –

• The section of a state highway to be adopted will generally be from one to two miles in length. Eligible sections will be determined by Department of Transportation (ConnDOT) personnel in cooperation with the adopting organization.
• Litter pick up will be conducted a minimum of four times per year. The adoption period will be for one year, renewal at the request of the organization.
• ConnDOT reserves the right to deny adoption or renewal requests by any organization, group or business based on any one of the following criteria:
  • Safety of the participants, passing motorist or Department of Transportation employees
  • Effectiveness of the litter control by the participants.
  • Harm to the public image of the ADOPT A HIGHWAY Program of the Department of Transportation.
• The program is not intended as a means of providing a public forum for groups, or businesses to use in promoting name recognition of political causes. Therefore, ConnDOT management reserves the right to deny adoption of more than one section of highway to any group or business.

• Consideration will be given to traffic volumes, types and speed and to the geometrics of the highway in selecting appropriate program sites. Those sections determined unsafe or inappropriate by ConnDOT management will not be eligible for adoption. Limited access highways will be exempt from this program.
• ConnDOT’s district management will coordinate the cleanup activities with the adopting organization and monitor the organization’s activities relative to safety.
• ConnDOT will dispose of the bagged litter collected and placed along side the road shoulder.
• ConnDOT will construct and install the appropriate sized sign that conforms to the program standards along the adopted highway section to provide public recognition to the adopting organization for their participation in the program.
• After each pickup, the adopting organization must file a report detailing the number of people involved, number of bags collected, and number of hours spent. Pickup report forms will be furnished by ConnDOT. This record-keeping function is crucial to track the program’s success and provide statistics to interested groups and the media.
• While the policy covers nearly all of the details of the program, minor arrangements with the adopting organization will be determined at the time the permit is issued.
• Prior to the issuing of the Encroachment Permit and Program Concurrence, a properly completed certificate of insurance (form Con-32) must be furnished by the adopting organization. The adopting organization acknowledges the potentially hazardous nature of the work and agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the State of Connecticut or any of its officers, employees, other volunteers or the adopting group for any injuries or damages they may cause or suffer as a result of participation in the program.

Adopt a Highway Secondary Rds.:  rev 5-22-12.pdf

Adopt a ramp guidelines:  rev 5-22-12.pdf

Permit Application:  rev 5-16-12.pdf

District Map Link  :Maintenance and Construction Districts

State Secondary Road Sign

ADOPT A RAMP

The Adopt A Ramp program works in the same manner as the secondary road program with the exception that the entire ramp area is maintained and not only the portion occupied by plantings and the sponsor’s sign. The sign erected must incorporate the name of the town for instance “Welcome to the Town of ______.” A secondary message indicating the sponsor’s name can be placed underneath.

The Department of Transportation expects that sponsor’s will maintain the adopted ramp areas in the manner described in the permit. If a sponsor is unable or unwilling to maintain the adopted area in the permitted manner, maintenance of the area will revert to the department. The sign, if present, will be removed and the area may be turned over to another sponsor.