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Show Litterbugs Cost State More than $75,000 Yearly "Motorists who throw beer cans and bottles, paper, and other rubbish rub-bish cut of their car windows are costing the State of Utah $75,000 each year," says Earl A. Johnson, district engineer for the Utah State Department of Highways. Mr. Johnson is responsible for the maintenance of state highways in the five-county area of Millard, Beaver, Iron, and Washington Counties and part of Juab County. District offices are in Cedar City. Mr. Johnson says that litter along the state's highway system creates a definite fire hazard, and adds to the problem of drainage, as well as being unsigthly. He said that his maintenance crews have to spend up to one-fourth of their time picking up what litterbugs have scattered along the highways. During the past few weeks, maintenance forces in the district have been engaged in a campaign to clean up the state's highways. The intensive drive has involved some 13 crews in the area., Mr. Johnson also said the state will be spraying all the rights of way for weed control. This will be done during the summer months. In addition, ad-dition, the state is spending funds for grass seeding. This is done to prevent erosion and aid in weed control, in additionto. being for beaulification purposes. To further its anti-litter campaign, cam-paign, the State Department of Highways has hundreds of litter barrels ih use. These have been placed at strategic places along the highway for the convenience of motorists. Road engineers point out that if the traveling public will use these, they can save the state several thousand dollars annually an-nually in clean-up costs. |
