Clay County is committed to
providing safe, efficient, and well-maintained roads and highways to
the residents of Clay County and the traveling public.
Adopt-A-Highway (AAH) is a community involvement program that brings
citizen volunteer groups into partnership with Clay County to keep the
local roadsides clean. This program may also educate and encourage
people to stop littering. In addition, through the cleanup efforts,
residents and visitors have a better impression of Clay County as they
travel through and around our county.
Each volunteer group is responsible for a dedicated section of
roadway or highway and agrees to remove litter a minimum of two times a
year over a two year period. Ideally a group would agree to adopt a
two-mile length of roadway. Clay County supplies the
Adopt-A-Highway signs,
vests, and bags for cleanup efforts.
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Only local roadways within
the limits of Clay County are included in this program.
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The sponsoring group shall
be responsible for litter pickup only. No planting, mowing, or other
activities will be permitted.
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The sponsoring group shall adopt
their section of highway for two years with the right to renew the
agreement. Clay County has the right to terminate the agreement and
remove the sponsor’s roadside signs should the sponsoring group fail
to act in accordance with this policy.
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Clay County and the sponsoring group
will jointly decide on the length of roadway to be adopted and the
specific roadway.
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Clay County will furnish and erect
the signs with the group name. The names on the signs shall be
limited to two lines of eighteen to twenty characters. Clay County
reserves the right to approve and/or edit the names of groups or
acronyms. The signs shall comply with the requirements of the
Minnesota Department of Transportation. No logos or slogans will be
permitted on the signs.
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The sponsoring group shall assign a
group coordinator to work jointly with the County Highway
Department.
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Pick up shall occur a minimum of two
(2) times a year. Pick up times shall be at least once during the
spring months and once during the fall months.
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Adequate supervision must be
provided for anyone under the age of 18. It is required that at least
one (1) adult supervise five (5) youths. No one under the age of ten
(10) will be permitted to participate.
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The sponsoring groups coordinator
shall give at least ten (10) days advanced notification to the
Highway Department prior to starting the pickup.
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When being assigned a segment of
roadway, the coordinator of the group shall consult with the Highway
Department regarding an appropriate staging area. The staging
location shall provide for adequate vehicular parking. Under no
circumstances will parking be permitted or authorized along any roads
or right-of-ways.
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Work shall be limited to the areas
between the shoulders and the right-of-way boundary. Work may not be
done on the roadway itself.
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The sponsoring group members are
encouraged to wear gloves and it is mandatory that orange safety
vests are worn at all times.
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The sponsoring group shall be
required to provide a first aid kit and an ample supply of water at
the staging location.
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The sponsoring group shall place the
litter into the trash bags provided by Clay County at a predetermined
location along the roadside ditches.
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The sponsoring group’s coordinator
may pick up the safety vests and bags from the Highway Department
during normal working hours.
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Designated pick up days and times
shall occur during daylight hours.
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The sponsoring group shall proceed
with litter pick up activities in the direction of oncoming traffic.
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Litter shall not be collected from
both sides of the roadway simultaneously. The sponsoring group shall
proceed to remove litter from one (1) side of the roadway first, then
the other.
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Large objects found along the
roadside shall be marked and reported to the Highway Department.
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The sponsoring group may at any time
terminate their agreement, but must do so in writing to Clay County.
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A copy of the sponsoring group’s
liability insurance coverage (Certificate of Insurance) shall be
submitted to Clay County each year that the Agreement is in effect.
A waiver of liability and indemnification agreement may serve as a
substitute for this requirement, after the Highway Engineer consults
with the County Attorney.
