Dutchess County’s Adopt-A-Highway program provides the opportunity for any local business or organization, including civic, educational, fraternal, neighborhood, religious, scout, senior service, and/or youth center to perform roadside maintenance activities including litter pickup, planting and vegetation maintenance, or other approved activities.
If you are interested in participating in the Adopt-A-Highway program or need more information, please contact the Department of Public Works-Engineering Division at (845) 486-2925.
Any business or organization, including civic, educational, fraternal, neighborhood, religious, scout, senior service, and youth may enter into a DUTCHESS COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS (DCDPW) "ADOPT-A-HIGHWAY" Agreement.
The business/organization will be permitted to perform roadside maintenance activities including litter pickup, planting and maintaining approved vegetation, or other activities specifically approved by DCDPW Engineering Division. The Department may modify this list as needed to accommodate specific situations.
The Agreement is for a 1-year period and is renewable every January 1.
The approximate length of highway to be adopted is 2 miles. The Department may modify the length requirements depending on roadway character and to accommodate requests to adopt interchanges or entrances to villages and town centers.
The minimum age of the participants without adult supervision is 18 years. One adult supervisor MUST be provided by the business/organization for every 6 persons between the ages of 12 and 18. No person under age 12 is permitted.
The business/organization will be required to organize a safety briefing with a representative from the DCDPW Engineering Division before each pickup. All participants must attend the safety briefings before participating in the cleanup efforts.
All participant vehicles shall be parked off (outside) the roadway shoulder.
The DCDPW Engineering Division will provide trash bags, which the business/organization may obtain during normal working hours.
The business/organization will place the full trash bags at 1 or more locations along the adopted highway shoulder. The business/organization will call DCDPW at (845) 486-2925 on the working day (Monday-Friday) prior to the event so that the trash bags can be collected on the working day after the event.
The suggested minimum frequency of pickup along highways is 4 times per year with the first pickup occurring in the April-May "spring cleanup" time period. The Department may modify the suggested frequencies to accommodate the specific conditions encountered.
Each business/organization will be required to obtain a Dutchess County Highway Work Permit, and provide a certificate of general liability insurance listing the County of Dutchess, 22 Market Street, Poughkeepsie, NY, 12601, as additional insured. If the business/organization is unable to provide the certificate of insurance, it may apply for a waiver of the insurance requirement.
Each business/organization will be required to obtain Workers' Compensation Insurance or provide proof of exemption.
The DCDPW will install an "Adopt-A-Highway" sign naming the "adopting" business/organization at the beginning and end of each section of highway adopted.
The Department's Permit Engineer will be the DCDPW's contact with the business/organization and manage the agreement after it is signed. The business/organization will be required to designate one of their members as the coordinator.
The Department may modify the standard agreement on a case-by-case basis as noted above to address the specifics of the business/organization and the situation. DCDPW Engineering Division will review any changes as requested to the standard agreement.