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The Alabama Department of Transportation continues to spend more each year on litter removal, diverting funds from critical road improvement projects.
In 2024, ALDOT spent more than $9.4 million statewide cleaning up trash along Alabama’s roadways—a $500,000 increase from the nearly $9 million spent in 2023. In 2022, the cost was $7 million.
“ALDOT’s mission is to maintain and improve roads, not trash collection,” the department said in a statement. “However, the increasing amount of litter can be a road safety issue, so ALDOT employees spend a significant amount of time picking up litter.”
The department not only relies on its employees but also contracts with private companies to remove trash from interstates and state roads and coordinates with volunteers through the Adopt-A-Mile program.
Despite those efforts, the cost continues to rise. Here’s how much each ALDOT region spent on litter cleanup in 2024:
- North: $1,463,734.90
- East Central: $3,452,878.94
- West Central: $1,353,735.45
- Southeast: $1,745,491.60
- Southwest: $1,465,322.39
ALDOT pointed out that if people would stop littering, those millions could be used for projects that make Alabama’s roads safer and more efficient.
“If people were to stop littering, ALDOT could use those funds for much-needed road projects, such as improving intersections to reduce crashes, road resurfacing for smoother, safer driving conditions, installing guardrails and safety barriers to prevent serious incidents, and building sidewalks and crosswalks to protect pedestrians,” the department said.
For now, though, the cost of litter is coming out of the state’s road improvement budget, one piece of trash at a time.
Littering isn’t just illegal — it wastes taxpayer dollars that could be better spent on safety and infrastructure. ALDOT stressed that keeping Alabama’s roads clean is a shared responsibility.
“The less money we spend on litter cleanup, the more we can invest in making roads safer for everyone,” ALDOT spokesperson James Gordon said.
If Alabamians stopped littering, ALDOT could redirect those funds toward projects such as improving intersections to reduce crashes, resurfacing roads for smoother driving, installing guardrails and safety barriers, and building sidewalks and crosswalks to protect pedestrians.
Until then, millions of taxpayer dollars will continue to be spent cleaning up messes instead of building a safer, stronger transportation system.
ALDOT encourages all Alabamians to help by organizing litter cleanup activities in their local communities. Whether it’s picking up litter in a park or simply disposing of litter, everyone can play a part.
