This story was written for WRAL TechWire Advisor partner Johnson Automotive.

Highway litter is one of the hardest types of litter to clean up.

For example, the average commuter isn’t going to pull over because a napkin or cup accidentally flew out an open window – there’s just too much danger involved. And as metropolitan areas grow in size, construction brings a different type of litter, such as discarded plastic wrappings, construction materials and more.

State Departments of Transportation counteract this with the Adopt-a-Highway and Sponsor-a-Highway program. Those ubiquitous signs with company logos on them actually help make a difference in cleaning up your local interstate, but don’t call the company on the sign if you see trash.

“People don’t generally understand how the program works,” said Erick Kirks, marketing director at Johnson Automotive, the largest member of the Sponsor-a-Highway program in the United States. “They think our employees are responsible for cleaning those roads we sponsor. We respond respectfully and let them know we don’t actually conduct the cleanup efforts, but we do pay for them to happen every four to six weeks. In some instances, we have contacted Adopt-a-Highway to request an emergency cleanup when needed.”

The Adopt-a-Highway program is a public-private partnership in which companies sponsor one mile of road and receive a sign showcasing their logo in return. The North Carolina DOT contracts with two private companies that maintain the roadways with professionally trained cleaning staffs.

Local companies like Johnson Automotive connect with these contractors to establish the sponsorships for all of the highways in the state where they can advertise.

“It’s a great opportunity,” said NCDOT state roadside environmental engineer David Harris.

Harris estimates that last year, the state saved approximately $6 million thanks to its Sponsor-a-Highway and Adopt-a-Highway programs.

“That’s almost $6 million that can be used to patch potholes and fix traffic lights. We still spent $18 million total last year to pick up litter and do everything. It’s a massive undertaking the department has to go through,” Harris empathized.

For the team at Johnson Automotive, taking part in the program was a no-brainer. Not only would North Carolinians see a marked improvement on their highways and interstate, the company logo would be on signs all over the state to highlight the company’s commitment to North Carolina.

Johnson Automotive has now been involved with the program for more than two years. The company is already spending more than $1 million annually to keep the highways clean and has committed to continue to expand its involvement.

“We negotiated with [the contractor] and agreed to sponsor every mile of roadway available under the program,” Kirks said. “We went ahead and committed to that from the beginning. Under our contractual agreement, we have first right of refusal for any sign that becomes available. That’s whether someone cancels or whether a new sign gets approved to be placed. We are currently requesting the approved expansion to include smaller highways in the area.”

Johnson’s consideration initially began as an advertising opportunity, but soon morphed into something more.

Instead of creating more traditional in-your-face advertisements, Johnson committed to sponsoring as many highway miles as possible and doesn’t measure the return on investment that it does with other advertising campaigns.

“This is not one of those campaigns,” Kirks said. “It’s strictly how we can give back to the community in a way that is impactful and meaningful.”

Johnson’s efforts are making a large push toward eliminating trash buildup, but everyone can contribute and is encouraged to do their part. Millions of pounds of trash are collected by the state every year, and even just securing what’s in the back of your truck can make a difference.

Initiatives like 86it.com, for example, aim to reduce littering by coordinating groups of dedicated volunteers to tackle problem areas. The state’s Adopt-a-Highway program lets local businesses and groups sponsor non-interstate roads and provides those groups with the tools necessary to maintain that cleanliness.

“Population growth has increased the number of cars, construction, food,” said Harris. “It results in more litter that can potentially blow out of cars and trucks. A lot of people have passion out there for the environment because people take pride in the state. The Adopt-a-Highway program is one we rely on for people to go out and contribute. We have a little under 4,600 groups picking up our roads.”

Working together makes a difference.

Secure any loose debris that could fly out of your vehicle when you’re headed to a landfill or dump or volunteer with friends to pick up trash on the weekend, these small actions culminate in changes that can help curtail a problem that never seems to go away.

“With N.C. Transportation Secretary James H. Trogdon, this is the most successful we’ve been statewide in a decade in keeping litter off the road,” Harris said. “It’s going to take everybody working together. This is a problem that never goes away. At the end of the day, we’re all North Carolina citizens.”

This story was written for WRAL TechWire Advisor partner Johnson Automotive.