The N.C. Department of Transportation’s Adopt-A-Highway Program is promoting the upcoming Litter Sweep which begins Sept. 19. Volunteers, highway crews, inmates and others will participate in sprucing up litter-prone highways.

Last year, the fall Litter Sweep resulted in nearly a half-million pounds of litter being removed from roadsides in 34,000 bags, with three-fifths, or 300,000 pounds, being recycled glass, metal, plastic and paper.

NCDOT noted the ongoing efforts of volunteer groups in the Adopt-A-Highway program, which removed almost 4 million pounds of litter during 2014. There are many sections of highway available in North Carolina for adoption in all 100 counties.

Applications for Adopt-A-Highway can be initiated by visiting the following website: http://www.ncdot.gov/programs/AAH/. Questions regarding application for Adopt-A-Highway and the sections available can be directed to the local county coordinator or by contacting Mike Causey, Adopt-A-Highway coordinator, at 919-707-2956.

“The combined effort of all our Adopt-A-Highway volunteers has a tremendously positive impact on our roadsides and communities in North Carolina,” Causey said in a news release. “I hope many new volunteer groups will see the benefit to their communities and sign up to Adopt-A-Highway on our website.”

For more information about Litter Sweep, call 1-800-331-5864 or visit the Department of Transportation Office of Beautification website and click on “Litter Sweep.”

For real-time travel information, call 511, visit the Traveler Services section of NCDOT.gov or follow NCDOT on Twitter.