Picking up litter is a job for everyone

The saying goes that March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb. For PennDOT, you colud say March comes in on a snowplow and out on a paver.

April is when PennDOT moves from winter operations to summer construction and maintenance. Filling potholes, repairing bridges, replacing broken signs, and paving roads are some of the items on our 2019 to-do list. There is one activity, though, that almost anyone can do. And doing so can help make Pennsylvania a much more beautiful place. Pick up litter!

Every year, PennDOT crews spend many hours cleaning litter along Pennsylvania roads. While this is important, it also means those crews are not spending that time filling potholes or paving roads. They are also doing the one job the public can do, too.

Right now, you can help keep Pennsylvania beautiful by volunteering in the Great American Cleanup of PA.

Volunteering is easy. People can organize their own local event and register it, or can take part in an already registered event. Gloves, trash bags, and safety vests will be provided by PennDOT, the state Department of Environmental Protection, and the GLAD Products Company, a national sponsor.

Also, during "Pick It Up, PA Days," April 13 – May 6, registered cleanup events have access to reduced or free disposal at participating landfills, through support from DEP and the Pennsylvania Waste Industries' Association.

Remember to always use extreme caution when driving past crews alongside the road. Put down the phone and focus on the task at hand so that we can all make it home at the end of the day.