The Idaho Department of Transportation recently announced that its Adopt-a-Highway litter pick-up program form has gone digital. The change was made in late March.
The forms for reporting litter-patrol results after the event and requesting litter-patrol equipment also went digital.
The move online is expected to save the state time and money.
There are approximately 1,000 groups in the program. Prior to the change, all forms were paper-based, mailed in and manually inputted into an antiquated database
“We spent a lot of time taking phone calls and transferring calls,” Judi Conner, the program’s statewide coordinator, said. “Litter pick-up report cards left at the maintenance shed were seldom forwarded for the required record tracking. Ironically, we generate a large amount of trash. Not having electronic applications, equipment requests, and reporting capabilities is a turn-off to younger people who might apply. We lose groups because we’re using a stamp and envelope. Additionally, potential identity theft is thwarted by not having contact info printed out and left lying around.”
The new website shows the route segments available statewide in real time. Previously, this was based on a spreadsheet that was frequently out-of-date.
Groups also can modify their names or contact information, expand their assigned routes, and renew contracts on the website.