Removing Trash for 31 Years – Thank You, Verna!
“Thank you, Verna!” said Steven Otto, Wyoming Department of Transportation Adopt-A-Highway district coordinator in Basin. And everyone who enjoys this area thanks you as well.
For 31 years, as people turned onto the Crandall Road along the Chief Joseph Highway, (mile markers 0-4, WY Hwy 296) the Edmonds family quietly welcomed visitors to the area with a trash free section of the highway. It’s likely nobody noticed, but instead, appreciated the beauty of the area. That’s how it’s supposed to be. The fact that they also saved tax dollars WYDOT would have spent keeping these four miles clean is also a gift.
The “Edmonds Family” Adopt-A-Highway group recently retired from the program in northwest Wyoming, a labor of love for the past 31 years (1995-2026). WYDOT gifted her the sign for decades of public service. Verna, age 93, and her late husband cleaned up their highway section of the Chief Joseph Highway while living in Crandall.
Adopt-A-Highway
The idea of adopting a section of highway started in Texas when a TXDOT worker saw trash flying out of a pickup bed. It became a full-fledged program in 1985 and other states joined in. Wyoming began the program in 1989. The Edmonds family chose their section to take responsibility for in 1995.
Wyoming residents in civic and other nonprofit groups are invited to join the Adopt-A-Highway program to help keep the view from Wyoming’s roads beautiful. The section the Edmonds family covered for years is open for adoption, as are many others.
Adopting groups show their civic pride by creating a cleaner environment, save taxpayers money by reducing the amount of litter WYDOT must clean up and raise awareness and change attitudes about littering.
WYDOT recognizes Adopt-A-Highway volunteers by erecting signs at each end of their adopted highway section. Groups must sign an agreement to adopt a two-mile section of highway for at least two years and pick up litter at least twice a year.
Northwest Wyoming organizations or families interested in adopting a highway section can obtain an application, along with the program rules and regulations, from Adopt-A-Highway District Coordinator Steven Otto by calling (307) 568-3400.
Photo: Verna Edmonds with the family’s Adopt-A-Highway sign, which she requested and was gifted for decades of public service. WYDOT photo.
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