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FOREWORD Highway administrators, engineers, and researchers often face problems for which infor-
mation already exists, either in documented form or as undocumented experience and prac-
tice. This information may be fragmented, scattered, and unevaluated. As a consequence,
full knowledge of what has been learned about a problem may not be brought to bear on its
solution. Costly research findings may go unused, valuable experience may be overlooked,
and due consideration may not be given to recommended practices for solving or alleviat-
ing the problem.
There is information on nearly every subject of concern to highway administrators and engi-
neers. Much of it derives from research or from the work of practitioners faced with problems
in their day-to-day work. To provide a systematic means for assembling and evaluating such
useful information and to make it available to the entire highway community, the American
Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials--through the mechanism of the
National Cooperative Highway Research Program--authorized the Transportation Research
Board to undertake a continuing study. This study, NCHRP Project 20-5, "Synthesis of Infor-
mation Related to Highway Problems," searches out and synthesizes useful knowledge from
all available sources and prepares concise, documented reports on specific topics. Reports from
this endeavor constitute an NCHRP report series, Synthesis of Highway Practice.
This synthesis series reports on current knowledge and practice, in a compact format,
without the detailed directions usually found in handbooks or design manuals. Each report
in the series provides a compendium of the best knowledge available on those measures
found to be the most successful in resolving specific problems.
PREFACE This synthesis reports on the state of the practice in reducing roadside litter as it involves
By Donna Vlasak state departments of transportation (DOTs). The report provides information concerning
the prevention and removal of roadside litter, unfulfilled needs, knowledge gaps, and under-
Senior Program Officer
performing activities. It covers enforcement, education, awareness, and engineering meth-
Transportation ods for both litter prevention and collection. The synthesis focuses on state DOT personnel
Research Board involved in roadside litter prevention and their contractors who conduct litter prevention and
removal programs. Also, as roadside litter prevention appears to be a multiple stakeholder
activity, policy makers and practitioners from other government agencies and environmental
organizations, as well as groups and volunteers may be interested in this synthesis.
A 46-question survey was distributed to maintenance personnel in all 50 U.S. states,
Puerto Rico, and 10 Canadian provinces. A literature search was also undertaken. Together,
the North American survey and the literature review provide a comprehensive snapshot of
the state of the practice in roadside litter abatement. Four case studies were undertaken
highlighting DOT litter prevention programs considered leaders in the field.
Gerry J. Forbes, Intus Road Safety Engineering, Milton, Ontario, Canada, collected
and synthesized the information and wrote the report. The members of the topic panel are
acknowledged on the preceding page. This synthesis is an immediately useful document
that records the practices that were acceptable within the limitations of the knowledge
available at the time of its preparation. As progress in research and practice continues, new
knowledge will be added to that now at hand.
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