A volunteer cleanup event along State Route 286 in Southern Arizona improved the 45-mile stretch between Sasabe and State Route 86 west of Tucson. The effort, held Saturday, was part of the Arizona Department of Transportation’s (ADOT) Adopt a Highway program.
Dozens of volunteers participated in the “All the Way to the Border” event, now in its 11th year. Organized by Melissa Owen, a ranch owner from Sasabe, the cleanup focused on an area that passes through high desert grassland in the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge and is located beneath the Baboquivari Mountains.
ADOT’s Southcentral District supported the event by issuing a special permit for the cleanup. Staff from ADOT’s Three Points Maintenance Yard were present during the event and managed collection of bagged litter.
“Through ADOT’s Adopt a Highway program, more than more than 7,000 volunteers tend to adopted miles throughout the year, supported by ADOT permitting and maintenance staff. In 2025 alone, these volunteers filled nearly 13,000 bags with litter.”
The Adopt a Highway initiative is one example of how ADOT manages highway infrastructure across Arizona. The department oversees transportation services statewide—including highways, aviation and motor vehicle operations—handling planning, construction and maintenance while working with various partners on projects such as traveler information systems and infrastructure improvements (official website). ADOT operates across multiple districts supporting sites from airports to southern border ports (official website).
Jennifer Toth serves as director of ADOT, overseeing all aspects of planning and maintaining state transportation systems (official website). The agency aims to safely connect communities and support economic growth through its transportation initiatives (official website).
For those interested in participating or learning more about Adopt a Highway opportunities, additional information is available at azdot.gov/adoptahighway.
