Keeping Utah Beautiful - Litter Collection Application

Item #: 20240040

CONTACTS

Implementing Organization: Central Maintenance / Facilities Management
Implementation Lead: Ryan Ferrin
Development Team: Ryan Ferrin (Statewide Maintenance Engineer), Shawn Lambert (Maintenance Director), Chris Meredith (GIS Admin), Ed Graves (GIS Analyst), Jennifer Hall (GIS Analyst), Cheryl Marz (Office Specialist), Camber Wilkey (Purchasing Coordinator), Karyl Keanaaina (Support Services Coordinator), Ashlee Matthews (Region 2 Admin), Josephine Archuleta (Region 4 Warehouse Manager), Matt Patterson (ESRI consultant), Adrian Sellars (HDR Consultant)

Article Written By: Ben Teran
Innovation Council Liaison: Ben Teran
Innovation Team Coordinator: Quinten Klingonsmith

STATUS

Implementation Date: May 1, 2024
Adoption Status: Fully Implemented
Adoptability Note: The new program is implemented, but an ongoing public awareness effort is required for it to be successful.

APPLIES TO

Topic: Maintenance Practices
Organization(s): Central Maintenance / Facilities Management, Communication, Data Technology & Analytics, GIS, Region 1, Region 2, Region 3, Region 4, Right of Way, Risk Management, Stormwater / Environmental, Traffic and Safety, Traffic Management Division, Transit and Trails
Job Role(s): Business Analyst, Information Specialist, Program Director, Roadway Operations / IMT, Transportation Technician
Tags: highway transportation, infrastructure preservation, labor productivity, employee empowerment, expenses, expenditures, ( process improvement ), redesign, tracking systems, communications > public relations ( PR ), information technology >> software, networks, marketing > advertising, crowdsourcing, GIS, maintenance, program management, traffic safety > highway safety, trucking safety, litter, trash, Adopt a Highway, Keep Utah Beautiful, aesthetics, environmental quality > pollution > air, noise, quality of life

PROBLEM

UDOT needed a cost-effective way to augment its $2.3 million litter pickup effort. Many DOTs, including UDOT, sponsor “Adopt A Highway” programs to encourage volunteer groups to clean their segment of the road. However, these programs have limited participation because they are not flexible and accessible for typical volunteer groups. And when groups do sign up, it is challenging for them to stay consistent over the long run.

CHANGE

The Central Maintenance and Central GIS groups developed the Keeping Utah Beautiful program to replace Utah’s Adopt a Highway program. Businesses and groups can also participate in the Sponsor a Highway program, where a professional litter control company is hired to clean their "sponsored" section of the roadway.

The new Keeping Utah Beautiful program encourages volunteer groups to sign up with UDOT to perform one-time litter clean-up activities. This program is supported by a new website that makes it easy for anyone 14+ to schedule an event. Applicants fill out a survey, provide contact information, and select from a map which roadway they would like to clean. The app automatically routes the request to the corresponding region coordinator who makes arrangements with the group.

RESULT

The new Litter Collection Application provides a much-improved workflow between the public and UDOT. The online system provides great customer service since volunteers only have to sign up in one place and their application will be automatically assigned to the correct coordinator. The system’s built-in notifications keep the application process flowing well. The collected data can be analyzed to help track which roads have not been cleaned recently. Thanks to Central Maintenance, Central GIS, region coordinators, and volunteers, UDOT has another way to keep Utah beautiful.