BALTIMORE (Map, News) - With winter over and spring about to turn into summer, the State Highway Administration has started its annual campaign to alert drivers of the effort to Keep Maryland Beautiful.

“Litter on our highways reflects badly, resulting in a bad impression of Marylanders,” SHA spokeswoman Kellie Boulware said.

“We’d like motorists to refrain from littering the roadways and wait until they reach a proper receptacle for disposing trash.”

On average, it costs SHA millions of dollars each year to dispose of litter and to pay staff to remove items tossed along the roads.

SHA maintenance crews work approximately two days a week to remove litter and it takes time from other important safety and maintenance-related duties such as pothole repair, drainage cleaning, traffic management and mowing, Boulware said.

“We have 28 maintenance facilities statewide,” Boulware said, “and one of their tasks along with traffic assistance is to mow and clean shrubbery.”

 However, “recognizing that this is Earth Month, we want motorists to consider recycling throw-away-items, because that would help the environment.”

In addition, SHA encourages motorists to carry and use car litter bags.

The agency also warns that operators and owners of vehicles are responsible for any litter dropped, thrown from the vehicle or placed onto a public roadway.

Boulware said that throughout this month SHA will air a radio public service announcement featuring former Baltimore Oriole Billy Ripken, along with scheduled litter pickups by Adopt-A-Highway groups.

The agency is partnering with Royal Farms Corporation for the Sponsor-A-Highway  program, which adopts 50 one-mile segments of roadway for cleanups along sections of Interstates 695, 495, 97, 95 and US 50, and MD 100.

SHA Administrator Neil Pedersen said in a statement that by partnering with the business community to reduce road litter more resources are available to protect the environment.

“Not only does it help maintain the beauty of Maryland,” Pedersen said, “but clear roads contribute to keeping roads safe for travelers, promoting tourism and supporting economic development.”

drowley@baltiomoreexaminer.com