Did you know: You are a law breaker, wasting taxpayer money!
PROTECTED CONTENT
If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.
Username and Password Help
Please enter your email and we will send you a password reset link.
Bridging the Divide
Chuck Bradley
Littering Alabama highways is costing the state (each of us) millions of dollars annually, with the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) spending more than $9.4 million in 2024 on litter cleanup, a $500,000 increase from the previous year.
One estimate suggests a single mile of highway contains roughly 16,000 pieces of litter, with an estimated cleanup cost of 30 cents per piece.
The population of Alabama is estimated to be 5,157,699 according to the 2024 U.S. Census Bureau. As I often say, DO THE MATH. ALDOT alone is spending $2 per person in Alabama annually to clean up our mess.
The money spent on litter cleanup could be redirected to other crucial road projects, road maintenance and safety improvements, such as bridge maintenance, roadside maintenance, improving dangerous intersections, road resurfacing, installing guardrails and safety barriers, building sidewalks and crosswalks, and I am sure you can come up with several more projects that could use $10 million. Littering also negatively impacts the environment, road safety and the state’s natural beauty.
ALDOT spends significant funds on crews and contractors to remove our litter from state roads and interstates.
Remember, littering is illegal, and you are breaking the law. Yes, roadway littering is a criminal offense in Alabama. Specifically, it is classified as criminal littering, a Class B misdemeanor.
Violations can result in fines and community service. Fines for littering have doubled, with a first offense now costing a minimum of $500.
In Alabama, littering on highways can result in a fine of up to $3,000 and 100 hours of community service for a misdemeanor offense, according to ALEA. While first-time offenders may face a fine of up to $500, subsequent convictions can lead to a fine of up to $1,000 and community service, or a fine of $2,000 to $3,000.
Additionally, there are further penalties for specific types of litter, such as cigarettes, urine containers, or food containers, with an additional fine of up to $500 per violation.
Littering along Alabama highways also places a significant financial burden on county governments like Coosa County in various ways:
Counties are responsible for cleaning up litter along local and county roads. In 2024, ALDOT spent over $9.4 million statewide on litter removal from state roads and interstates alone. While this figure reflects state-level spending, it underscores the substantial costs associated with county roadside litter that can indirectly impact county budgets, as counties often assist with or are solely responsible for cleanup efforts on their roadways.
Funds spent on litter removal are resources that could otherwise be allocated to other county priorities, such as road maintenance, infrastructure improvements, or public services.
In 2023, the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) launched a $10 million program to reimburse counties for cleaning trash from public roads. While this program helps offset cleanup costs, remember this is more of your money, and it indicates the ongoing need for such initiatives because of the persistence of our littering.
Environmental and economic impact: Beyond direct cleanup costs, littering can negatively impact the environment and local economies, potentially affecting tourism, industrial recruiting, property values, and wildlife, ultimately creating additional challenges for county governments to address.
Your littering is a significant cost to county and state government, resulting in dedicated cleanup programs, and potential negative impacts that emphasize littering on Alabama highways represents a substantial financial burden for all governments across the state.
There is no doubt that you say or think daily something like, “I don’t like law breakers” or “I wish they would stop wasting taxpayers money.”
The facts are clear and compelling; in Alabama, when you toss that fast food bag out your auto window, you have committed a criminal act and contributed to the wasting of taxpayers’ money.
You now have over TEN MILLION REASONS TO STOP IT!
The solution is easy; place a litter bag in your vehicle and properly dispose of your litter. Let’s help keep Coosa County and the State of Alabama clean!
Until next week, please send your questions or comments to bradleychuck92@gmail.com.
