Keep our island trash free
Keeping trash off our highways is one of the most critical ways to ensure our storm drains are free of pollutants and debris. The Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) Adopt-A-Highway program is a public service program that allows participants from any organization to pick up litter along Hawaii’s state highways.
Embrace your chance to make a personal contribution towards a cleaner Hawaii!
For questions and inquiries, contact us at Adopt-A-Highway@stormwaterhawaii.com.
Why You Should Help
Protect Our Nature
Litter destroys the natural beauty of Hawaii’s highways. Make a personal contribution towards a cleaner Hawaii!
Protect Marine Life
Litter impacts Hawaii’s environment and surrounding oceans. Direct impacts include physical harm to marine life by debris through ingestion or entanglement. Indirect impacts occur when the cleanup of marine debris result in ecological changes.
Show That You Care
Clean highways help lead to beautiful beaches that welcome visitors and show that we care about our community and our environment.
What You Will Do As A Volunteer
2 Miles For 2 Years
Adopt a two-mile portion of state highway for a minimum of two years.
4 Cleanups A Year
Pick up litter on your portion of the highway at least 4 times per year.
Adopt A Segment
- Contact an Adopt-A-Highway coordinator for more information about the program.
- The Adopt-A-Highway coordinator will help you select a segment.
- Complete the application to adopt your chosen segment.
- HDOT will install signs with your group name.
Before A Cleanup
- Request supplies at least 1 week prior to the event. HDOT will provide high visibility safety vests, trash bags, and gloves.
- Submit a release form for minors, ages 12 to 17, if needed.
- If your group has members 12 to 17 years of age, ensure that there are 2 adults present for every 10 underage volunteers.
- Make sure all participants watch our Safety Training video.
After A Cleanup
- Leave the filled rubbish bags along the route and make note of the location(s).
- Fill out a Rubbish Removal Form within two business days of your event.
Available Segments You Can Adopt
The following map shows the location and adoption status of all Adopt-A-Highway routes on Oahu. Green segments indicate available highway sections and purple segments are adopted areas. Interested in adopting an available route? Contact Adopt-A-Highway@stormwaterhawaii.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Scroll through some of the frequently asked questions about the Adopt-A-Highway program! If you have any question, please contact the Oahu Adopt-A-Highway Program Coordinator at Adopt-A-Highway@stormwaterhawaii.com.
Businesses, community organizations, military groups, and any other organization is encouraged to Adopt-A-Highway.
Participants must be at least 12 years old to participate. For any volunteers between the ages of 12 and 17, they and their guardian must complete a minor release form prior to participating in a cleanup. Groups with any underage participants must also ensure that there are at least 2 adults present for every 10 underage volunteers.
The Adopt-A-Highway Program is free to participate in!
Up to two groups can adopt a route.
It takes one week to prepare your supplies for pick up.
The Adopt-A-Highway Program provides safety vests to all groups. These vests are yours to keep!
Adopt-A-Highway: The Safe Way
Below are some important safety guidelines to keep in mind. Please remember to conduct safety training with your volunteers prior to participating in cleanups and remind them of these tips to ensure that your events are both safe and fun. Your enthusiasm and hard work are what keeps Hawaii’s highways trash free. Mahalo for demonstrating the spirit of aloha!
- Must be in good physical condition, including good eyesight and hearing.
- Must be mentally alert.
- Must be responsible for their own safety and the safety of their crew.
- Must be at least 12 years old. Groups with members under 18 years old must have at least 2 adults present per 10 underage volunteers.
- Adopt-A-Highway safety vests.
- Closed toed shoes – no slippers!
- Gloves.
- Hats, sunscreen, and sunglasses.
- Conduct a safety awareness session before your cleanup day.
- Face oncoming traffic when working.
- Do not cross the roadway unless in a crosswalk.
- Avoid using headsets or anything that could interfere with your ability to hear oncoming traffic or warnings.
- Park all vehicles as far away from moving traffic as possible.
- Keep vehicles on the same side of the highway as the volunteers.
- Work on one side of the highway at a time.
- Carpool to the cleanup site to reduce the number of parked vehicles on the road.
- Don’t work in bad weather.
- Work during daylight only.
- Stay hydrated.
- Knives, machetes, axes and similar objects should not be carried by crew members.
- Don’t stuff trash bags. Injuries from broken objects often result from overstuffing.
- Leave any potentially hazardous or dangerous rubbish in place and inform us of its location so that it can be safely removed.
Adopt-A-Highway Champions
The Adopt-A-Highway Champions program highlights various volunteers and organizations who have committed to keeping their adopted highway clean.
DOT-HWYS Oahu’s Q3 2024 Adopt-A-Highway Champions
Congratulations to our DOT-HWYS Q3 Adopt-A-Highway Champion, AAH-084 307th Expeditionary Signal Battalion – Enhanced! The 307th ESB-E soldiers cover a 2-mile segment along Highway 99, from Dole Helemano Plantation toward the North Shore. During an average cleanup, they collect 7-14 bags of trash.
DOT-HWYS Oahu’s Q2 2024 Adopt-A-Highway Champions
Congratulations to AAH-031B, NAVAL CONSOLIDATED BRIG MIRAMAR DET PEARL HARBOR, our 2024 Q2 Adopt-A-Highway Champion! The group is dedicated to keeping our roads free of trash and has already completed a total of seven cleanups this year.
DOT-HWYS Oahu’s Q1 2024 Adopt-A-Highway Champions
Congratulations to Oahu District’s First Quarter 2024 Adopt-A-Highway Champion, AAH-074, Waianae Baptist Church and Makaha Valley Chapel! The team, made up of members from both congregations, holds a cleanup on the first Saturday each month. Since December 2023, they have removed 32 bags of rubbish from their route along Farrington Highway.
ADOPT-A-HIGHWAY
Program Forms
The Adopt-A-Highway program is a proactive way to prevent pollution from entering surrounding coastal waters by reducing litter along Hawaii’s highways. To participate in the Adopt-A-Highway program or to renew an agreement, fill out and submit the appropriate form below. Please also review the Supply Request, Trash Removal, and Parental Release forms before planning your cleanup event.
To adopt a section of state highway for cleaning, fill out this Agreement Form and send to the appropriate individual. Be sure to read the terms and conditions for both the applicant and HDOT.
This form ensures that any minor who volunteers in an Adopt-A-Highway cleaning event has participated in a roadside safety meeting. The applicant’s signature of this form also releases HDOT Highways from any liability in case of injury or damages which occur on or near HDOT rights-of-way.
To request trash bags, gloves, and safety vests needed for a cleanup event, fill out this form and send to the appropriate individual. Don’t forget to include the cleanup date as well as the number of volunteers.
To request the removal of rubbish collected during an Adopt-A-Highway cleaning event, fill out this form and send to the appropriate individual within two business days of cleanup. Be sure to include any hazardous materials, bulk items, or dead animals.
To renew an Adopt-A-Highway agreement between your group and HDOT, fill out this form and send to the appropriate individual.
Past Adopt-A-Highway Champions
2024 Champions
Q1 – AAH-074, Waianae Baptist Church and Makaha Valley Chapel
Q2 – to AAH-031B, Naval Consolidated Brig Miramar Det Pearl Harbor
Q3 – AAH-084 307th Expeditionary Signal Battalion – Enhanced
2023 Champions
Q1 – AAH-044, Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC)
Q2 – AAH-064, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Zeta Pi Sigma
Q3 – AAH-030, The Opala Pickers
Q4 – AAH-001, Hawaii ANG 154 MXG
2022 Champions
Q1 – Unitek Solvent Services
Q2 – Charlie Company, 715th Military Intelligence Battalion
Q3 – Paradise Crew, Iron Order MC
Q4 – Rotary Club of Kapolei Sunset (AAH-069)
2021 Champions
Q1 – Moanalua Lions Club
Q2 – 25th ID & USARHAW JAG Office
Q3 – Mauka Kaua HI
Q4 – Mililani Hongwanji