Highway cleanup begins

The first session of the Adopt-A-Highway cleanup of 2013 begins Saturday.

Overseen by the Michigan Department of Transportation, Adopt-A-Highway involves volunteers picking up litter along state highways from April 13 to 21, the first of three scheduled pickups this year.

In 2012, Adopt-A-Highway volunteer groups collected about 65,000 bags of trash, a cost benefit to the state of $5.6 million.

Volunteers, who must be at least 12 years old, wear safety vests when working within a highway’s right of way. MDOT provides the vests and trash bags for free, and arranges to haul away the trash. Agency officials ask motorists to use caution when entering an Adopt-A-Highway zone.

Sections of highway are still available for adoption. Additional information may be found at Michigan.gov/adoptahighway.

Statewide, there will be a summer pickup from July 13 to 21, and a fall pickup from Sept. 21 to 29.