DOING OUR PART TO KEEP OUR ROADS CLEAN

A Column from the Desk of Assemblyman Karl Brabenec (R,C-Deerpark)

As I write this column, I’m spending my days in Albany as the Legislature slowly releases information on the state budget for us to debate and vote on. The process has been as disorganized as ever, but as we continue to debate, one element of investment I’m spending my time focusing on is the care of our roads and highways. In my time as your assemblyman, I’ve never seen roadside litter as common as it is today. People indiscriminately throwing trash on the side of the road as they drive by is leaving our roadways vulnerable. Trash can be as dangerous as any roadside obstruction, and when left unchecked, building up over weeks at a time, it can leave travelers vulnerable to crashes or pile-ups due to unsafe conditions. I hope that not only as a community but as a state, we can begin to once again properly care for our roadways. A great starting point would be more people or businesses participating in the Adopt-A-Highway program, which started back in the late 1980s as a means for the community to support local, underfunded Departments of Transportation. Today, any business or organization can adopt a highway, which is really just a small portion of the roadway designated for beautification and cleaning by volunteers. A minimum of four trash pick-ups a year occur on these short road paths by those who agree to adopt, and they are recognized with signage for their community service. Even adopters as young as 12 years old – with parent or guardian supervision – could adopt a highway and do their part to help keep our roads safe and clean. As I remain in Albany and continue to advocate for further support of critical programs such as these, I encourage all readers to consider adopting a highway to help keep our communities clean. For more information, please contact my office at 1-845-544-7551 or visit the Department of Transportation’s website at: https://www.dot.ny.gov/programs/adopt-highway. Assemblyman Brabenec represents the 98th District, which includes the city of Port Jervis, the towns of Deerpark, Greenville, Mount Hope, Wawayanda, Minisink, Warwick, Tuxedo and portions of the towns of Goshen, Monroe and Ramapo. For more information, please visit his Official Website at www.yourfavoriteassemblyman.com.