Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty, maintenance crews statewide, and those who have served our country are out picking up litter today to tackle an ever-growing and costly problem along California’s highways.

“Roadside litter negatively impacts our environment, clogs storm drains and often makes its way into our streams, rivers, and oceans,” said Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty. “We ask all Californians to dispose of litter responsibly, and to secure their loads before traveling.”

Last year, Caltrans spent $67 million on litter removal, collecting enough litter, trash, and debris from highways to fill almost 9,000 garbage trucks. “That money would have been better spent fixing our roads,” added Dougherty.

Members of a newly-formed Caltrans Veterans Outreach Program also joined Dougherty and his executive team to help remove litter from along State Route 99 at Broadway in Sacramento. The Veterans Outreach Program is a transitional employment program for men and women returning from duty and re-entering civilian life, and also assists veterans who may need help re-entering the workforce.

The Veterans Outreach Program is possible through an innovative collaboration between Caltrans and the Butte County Office of Education (BCOE). The program will have crews in San Diego, Bakersfield, San Diego and Visalia. For more information on this partnership, visit https://www.bcoe.org/divisions/Statewide%20and%20Local%20Support%20Services/back_2_work/caltransveteransoutreachprogram/.