ADOPT-A-HIGHWAY -- COUNTY ROADWAYS    

Chippewa County Highway Department is proud to partner with WisDOT's Adopt-A-Highway program to maintain beauty along our county highways located within the boundaries of Chippewa County.  We coordinate with generous volunteers, like yourself, to remove trash, recyclables, and litter from county highway roadsides.

Roads in Chippewa County that are classified as county highways are named with letters of the alphabet.  Here is a list of some examples of county highways within Chippewa County:  CTH AA, CTH F, CTH M, CTH S, CTH SS, CTH Q and CTH Y.  This list does NOT include all Chippewa County highways.  

What does an Adopt-A-Highway group do?

• Each qualified group takes responsibility for litter control along county roadways.  Sections are approximately two miles in length.

• The group will notify the program coordinator of scheduled pick up dates and organize clean up efforts to take place on approved section at least three times per year between April 1 and November 1.

• The Adopt-A-Highway program emphasizes safety.  It is important to be very careful when working on roadsides.  ALL members MUST watch the WisDOT safety video BEFORE participating in a clean up.  Safety video can be viewed by CLICKING HERE - WisDOT's Adopt-A-Highway Safety page.  All members are expected to review safety materials on the WisDOT page prior to clean up activities.

• Groups do not work in areas like medians, bridges, or steep slopes.  These areas generally are more dangerous.

• Work is permitted on approved section until group notifies the department of their intent to abandon their section.
  
  

Who can Adopt-A-Highway?

• Any group organized for some special purpose or task can be a sponsor.

What does Chippewa County Highway provide?

• The department furnishes safety vests, portable "people working" signs, link to WisDOT's safety training video, trash bags, trash bag pickup and disposal, and two acknowledgement signs marking your section of county roadway.

• The department will install one sign at each end of your approved section announcing your group's litter control sponsorship.

• Names must fit within the maximum of three lines and follow program naming guidelines.  You will find specific information on the application form.

• Chippewa County reserves the right to work with the sponsors in revising group names or acronyms that may be offensive to the public.

• No fees will be charged to groups accepted into the Adopt-A-Highway program.
  
  

How can I apply?

• Groups interested in adopting a county highway section should review the Chippewa County Adopt-A-Highway map to identify available sections.  Adopted county highway sections are numbered and shown on the map with a thick, yellow line.  Map can be viewed by CLICKING HERE.

• Complete Adopt-A-Highway Application Form - CLICK HERE noting your first, second, and third choice of preferred roadsides.  If you do not have access to a computer, please contact the program coordinator for assistance.

• Return completed application materials via email to the Chippewa County Adopt-A-Highway program coordinator at highwayadmin@chippewacountywi.gov or by mailing your completed form to Chippewa County Highway Department, Attn:  Adopt-A-Highway, 801 East Grand Avenue, Chippewa Falls, WI 54729.

• Adopt-A-Highway sections are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.

• After application has been approved, a signed copy will be returned to you for your records.  This signed document will be your permit to work in the right-of-way along your approved section.

• Approved permits are effective indefinitely or until the department receives a Notice of Abandonment Form from your group.  This notice tells the department your group has decided to cease its clean up activities.  That section will be made available to others wishing to Adopt-A-Highway.