Keep Indianapolis Beautiful Leads Highway Cleanup

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact:
Ashley Haynes
Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc.

c: 317-793-2871

Keep Indianapolis Beautiful Leads Great Indy Cleanup on Closed Section of I-65 during Construction
KIB, Indiana Department of Transportation, and community volunteers partner to take advantage of closed highway to clean up litter, debris, and encourage public responsibility

INDIANAPOLIS – (July 23, 2018) Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc. (KIB) volunteers will take advantage of the closed I-65 interstate to safely clean roadway shoulders and surrounding grassy right-of-way. KIB and the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) have partnered in the cleanup effort to raise awareness of the public’s responsibility to keep highways and roadways litter-free.

Volunteer spots are still available for the I-65 Great Indy Cleanup. Sign up is at www.kibi.org/projects.

WHEN: Friday, July 27 2018; 9:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M.
WHERE: Shoulders and grassy areas of the closed section of Interstate 65 between 21st and 16th Streets (north and south bound)
- Volunteers will meet in the parking lot near the Church of God in Christ and Children’s Bureau (1575 MLK Jr St, Indianapolis, IN 46202) and sent out in teams
VISUALS: Nearly 75 volunteers will meet at 9 A.M. for cleanup instructions, safety vest, and supply distribution; teams will head to project areas at approximately 9:15 A.M. to begin work; shots of volunteers on the highway shoulder, grassy rights-of-way, and group shot on the highway with the skyline will be available

KIB, INDOT representatives, and volunteers will be present for comment and interview.

Nicey Treat has donated popsicles for volunteers to celebrate the cleanup.

ANTI-LITTER EFFORTS IN INDIANAPOLIS

KIB
Great Indy Cleanup
Each weekend, from April to October, KIB supplies community groups and organizations with free trash bags, gloves, and Department of Public Works resources like dumpsters and packer trucks. Individuals or groups can sign up at www.greatindycleanup.com or contact Allie Kast, Great Indy Cleanup Coordinator, for assistance (akast@kibi.org).

Adopt-A-Block
KIB provides each block captain with a free cleanup kit to regularly care for their street. KIB provides an Adopt-A-Block sign for display on request. Clean blocks can earn native flowers and trees for their neighborhood. Schools and businesses are eligible to adopt their blocks too. Sign up is available at www.kibi.org/adopt-a-block

INDOT
Litter Prevention Programs
In addition to maintenance activities, INDOT utilizes multiple distinct programs to minimize litter along the roadways. These programs include:

Adopt-A-Highway: A traditional program that coordinates with community groups that provide trash and litter pickup on two-mile segments of non-interstate Hoosier highways. INDOT will place a sign on the portion of highway these groups adopt
Sponsor-A-Highway: Though similar to the Adopt-a-Highway program, it’s specifically for trash and litter pickup on one-mile segments of Hoosier interstates (and some high-speed highways not covered under Adopt-a-Highway). Rather than by community groups, the trash is picked up by a vendor hired by the groups
Hoosier Gateways: INDOT staff facilitates individuals or groups interested in beautifying entrances to communities, cloverleaf or other interchanges, medians, roundabouts, or small segments of roadway by connecting them with proper community officials

Additional information on these programs can be found at: http://www.in.gov/indot/2598.htm.

Preventing Litter on Hoosier Roadways
INDOT encourages Hoosiers to prevent litter on Indiana highways and aid clean-up efforts. Here’s how:

Don’t litter: Set a good example for everyone, especially children.
Be responsible: Carry a litter bag in your car instead of tossing trash out the window.
Put a lid on it: Make sure trash can lids are securely fastened. If you have curbside trash collection, don’t put lose trash in boxes or untied bags.
Check on it: If you own a business, check dumpsters daily to ensure doors are closed.
Report it: Report areas where people have illegally dumped garbage to INDOT’s Customer Service line at 1 (855) INDOT4U (463-6848)
Adopt it: If you or your family is involved in an extracurricular group, encourage the group to adopt a highway. More details here: http://www.in.gov/indot/2598.htm

A citywide effort to beautify and strengthen our communities, the Great Indy Cleanup is a partnership between KIB and the City of Indianapolis. So far this year, community volunteers have organized 228 cleanups and collected 750,060 pounds of trash through the program. From April through October, residents can apply for a community cleanup that KIB will support with cleaning supplies, Department of Public Works dumpsters and other resources.

The Great Indy Cleanup is made possible by generous donations from the City of Indianapolis, Kroger, Republic Services, South Side Landfill, and Clif Bar Baking Company. For more information on KIB’s efforts to beautify the city, or to learn how you can help, please visit us at www.greatindycleanup.com.

About Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc. (KIB)
Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc. is a private nonprofit organization with a mission to engage diverse communities to create vibrant public places, helping people and nature thrive. Annually, KIB works with nearly 20,000 volunteers on nearly 900 community projects. To learn more, visit www.kibi.org or follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at @kibiorg.

About Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT)
INDOT empowers businesses to deliver Indiana to the world and bring the world to Indiana by providing a transportation network that is second to none. The agency builds and maintains more than 28,000 lane miles of highway and 5,600 bridges, and provides oversight for 117 public aviation facilities and more than 4,000 miles of active rail lines. Indiana ranked as the #1 state in the U.S. for infrastructure in CNBC’s 2016 “Top States for Business” ranking. Learn more about INDOT at in.gov/indot.

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