​$17M on Litter Cleanup Could Instead Advance Critical Infrastructure Projects; Campaign Stresses Personal Responsibility to Keep Maryland Roads Clean, Safe 

BALTIMORE, MD (May 26, 2026) – The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (SHA) has launched  a new statewide anti-litter campaign featuring Governor Wes Moore urging everyone to: “Respect Maryland Roads. Don’t Litter.”     

In video spots on various social media platforms and offered as public service announcements, Governor Moore notes that in recent years Maryland has spent an average of more than $17 million annually to pick up trash along highways maintained by SHA.           

“That’s state funding that could have instead gone to things like critical infrastructure projects, projects that improve public   safety and drive economic growth in our communities,” Governor Moore says in the video.

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The roughly $17 million spent each year on trash removal, when paired with additional federal funding, could have funded repaving of 113 lane miles of highway – roughly the driving distance between Annapolis and Ocean City – or filling nearly 136,000 potholes across the state or installing an estimated 1,700 crosswalks to make Maryland roadways safer and more accessible for everyone.

“Litter doesn’t just disappear,” Governor Moore notes. “The money we spend picking it up every year is money that can’t be invested in the projects and the programs that will make Maryland better for the future for everyone.

“Your trash,” he adds, “is costing Maryland cash.”

The campaign urges everyone to put trash where it belongs – in trash cans – and not along the side of the road where it’s unsightly, expensive to remove and a safety hazard for road crews and passing motorists. Litter comes in many forms, from cigarette butts, fast food wrappers, cans, bottles and plastic cups to tires, furniture, building materials, electronics and other bulky items – even boats have been abandoned along Maryland’s highways.

Litter also threatens Maryland environmental resources, as trash and debris can clog or damage drainage systems and pollute Chesapeake Bay tributaries. Since 2021, more than 1.6 million bags of trash – or 9,543 tons – have been collected on roads the State Highway Administration maintains. Last year alone, more than 400,000 bags of trash were collected.

“We’re grateful for Governor Moore’s leadership and shared mission to keep our roads clean and safe and while preserving precious funding for projects that improve our transportation system,” SHA Administrator Will Pines said. “Litter wastes resources, is a safety concern for motorists and puts our crews along busy roadways to address an issue that shouldn’t exist in the first place.”

The Respect Maryland Roads campaign features social media, radio spots, billboards, bus shelter advertising and gas pump “toppers” at many gas and convenience chains across the state. For more information on the campaign, go to the website or scan the QR Code shown. 

Operation Clean Sweep

The launch of the campaign coincided with the latest wave of Operation Clean Sweep, an annual all-hands-on-deck initiative that deploys SHA maintenance crews, contractors and others to clean litter and debris along some of Maryland’s most heavily traveled areas. Operation Clean Sweep is conducted periodically throughout the year, usually in advance of holidays to beautiful Maryland roads when more travelers are expected.

Maryland is Serious About Safety, adopting a department-wide approach to advance safety goals and save lives. During Operation Clean Sweep, motorists are asked to pay close attention, reduce speed and move over whenever possible when crews are working along the roadway. 

SHA appreciates citizens who report litter they see on roadways and urges others to do the same through the service request form found here, or by calling 1-800-323-6742. SHA also operates an active Adopt-A-Highway program empowering individuals and communities to take an active role in keeping our state clean and beautiful.

For a list of all major State Highway Administration projects, visit the Project Portal, or head to roads.maryland.gov. For real-time traffic conditions, visit chart.maryland.gov.

Note

For video clips, audio or images from the “Respect Maryland Roads” campaign, please email [email protected]​.​