Beyond the Byline: Adopt-A-Highway; help clean up litter

WILKES-BARRE — In yet another great episode of “Seinfeld,” Kramer adopts a highway — the fictional Arthur Burghardt Expressway.

In the episode, titled “The Pothole, Kramer repaints the four-lane highway to two extra-wide lanes. His grand scheme is to make cruising the expressway like flying first class.

The result is disaster as confused drivers create a massive congestion problem.

But it is very funny.

However, the PennDOT Adopt-A-Highway program is no laughing matter.

PennDOT Wednesday announced guidance for groups looking to beautify their communities as its Adopt-A-Highway activities resume across the state, including mask wearing, social distancing and frequent hand sanitizing. These activities were suspended as part of Pennsylvania’s efforts to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

“As Pennsylvania reopening efforts continue, these vital volunteer clean-up activities will resume,” said PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. “I am grateful to the thousands of volunteers and encourage their continued vigilance to protect their health and the health of others while helping to keep Pennsylvania beautiful.”

PennDOT’s Adopt-A-Highway volunteer coordinators have received guidance to help ensure continued virus mitigation as the groups’ important volunteer cleanup activities continue.

Volunteers must adhere to all Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and PA Department of Health guidelines while carrying out Adopt-A-Highway activities, including social distancing, wearing of masks by individuals, washing hands frequently and using hand sanitizer whenever appropriate.

As always, PennDOT will provide volunteer groups with safety vests, trash bags, work gloves, and other equipment as requested by their PennDOT AAH coordinator.

For safety, the Pennsylvania State Police will be notified of all scheduled events and PennDOT will pick up bagged litter from the roadside.

While PennDOT’s Adopt-A-Highway cleanups will commence on state-maintained highways, areas that are non-state maintained can be cleaned and adopted through Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful.

As can streets, roads and other throughways in your town be cleaned up if people just get out and chip in to help. This would be part of the anti-litter campaign that Ted Wampole, executive director of Visit Luzerne County, debuted in October —long before the pandemic.

The message then was clear and simple — if you see litter, pick it up. And more importantly, don’t litter — ever.

The campaign is designed to work with local school districts, colleges and municipalities to encourage everyone to help keep the region beautiful.

“It’s about curb appeal,” Wampole said. “It’s really critical.”

Visit Luzerne County has been working to raise awareness to combat littering and everyone can do their part to reduce litter.

Butch Frati, Wilkes-Barre City’s director of operations, said at that October news conference that the city is working on a plan to implement an anti-littering program.

Wampole said littering that is visible to travelers can have a negative economic impact. He said tourism is an important contributor to the region’s economy — nearly $1 billion per year.

“Perception matters,” Wampole said. “We can work together to keep Luzerne County a beautiful place to live and visit.”

So do your part. Adopt-A-Highway, organize a cleanup on your street, or volunteer where you can.

As Wampole said in October: “This is a community issue and the community can fix it.”