Adopt-A-Highway

Contact Caltrans. Notify your Maintenance field representative of your plans to work at least five days, but no more than one month, before the event. If State construction or maintenance activities have been scheduled at your adoption site on that same day, you will not be permitted to work.

 

Review safety procedures. Review these "Safety Requirements for Participants" and the "Bag It, Move It, or Leave It?" instructions with all participants at an off-site location prior to each work event.

 

Evaluate weather conditions. Work must be performed during daylight hours. Do not work, or discontinue working, if the weather (or other adverse circumstance) decreases visibility or causes a public hazard.

 

Wear your safety gear. It is required that participants wear safety vests, hard hats, gloves, protective eyewear, long pants, and substantial leather shoes or boots with ankle support. Light-colored clothing and long-sleeved shirts are recommended. Put on your safety gear before traveling to your site and do not take it off until you have left the roadside.

 

Park in a safe place. Please carpool. Vehicles must park completely off of paved areas and be at least six feet from any traffic lane. If this is not possible and your site has a shoulder, then use a drop-off and pick-up arrangement instead. Or, enter and exit your site on foot from locations that allow you to face oncoming traffic. If in doubt about the safest way to access your site, please contact your Maintenance field representative for advice.

 

Look out for danger and look out for each other. Always work facing oncoming traffic. Use a safety lookout when fellow workers are unable to see oncoming traffic. Watch your footing and be alert for snakes, stinging insects, and poisonous plants. If your encroachment permit authorizes minors to participate, you must have at least one adult supervisor over the age of 21 at the site for every five minors present. Do not work alone.

 

Alert the California Highway Patrol (call 911) if you find an extremely hazardous item. Identify all objects before touching them and handle found items according to the procedures outlined in the "Bag It, Move It, or Leave It" instructions.

 

Never risk injury. Work shall not be performed on median strips. Stay completely off of paved areas and always remain at least six feet from any traffic lane; this includes crossing freeway on-ramps and off-ramps. Use extreme caution when crossing conventional, two-lane highways; plan to use crosswalks and signals where available. Do not work on unstable or slippery ground, on bridges, in tunnels, or in drainage facilities. Avoid behaviors that will distract motorists; this includes working in groups of more the three or four persons. Drink plenty of water. Use tools to help prevent over-exertion. For example, litter removal groups should use litter pickers instead of bending to pick up litter, and graffiti removal groups should use rollers instead of brushes to paint large areas.

 

Stack your bags. Do not overload or compact litter bags and be sure to tie them securely closed. Whenever possible, stack several filled bags together. Place bags completely off of paved areas and at least six feet from any traffic lane. Make sure that the bags are located where Caltrans maintenance crews can easily see them and safely retrieve them.