The Sutter County Board of Supervisors has approved a new program that will allow residents to adopt a section of county road for the purpose of providing periodic cleaning of the road shoulder.

Families and organizations are encouraged to participate in the first-of-its-kind volunteer program on Sutter County maintained roadways. Caltrans operates a volunteer cleanup program on state highways.

The Development Services Department was asked to prepare an Adopt-A-Road program to assist the County with the cleanup along roadway shoulders. The program involves a volunteer organization or family picking up litter, trash and light debris along the shoulders of County roadways. The goals of the program are to promote community pride, and save money by supplementing County resources, which allows County workers to address higher priority maintenance items such as pavement, drainage, and safety facilities.

The County will provide trash bags, trash grabbers, safety vests, and signs to the volunteers. The County will pick up the trash bags when the volunteers have completed a cleanup.

Volunteers will be asked to clean their chosen road segment 4-6 times per year within a 2-year commitment. An organization or family is required to submit an Adopt A Road Application (, and a Release of Liability form before cleanup can begin.

The Program guidelines preserve volunteer safety as the most important component, with requested roadway segments reviewed for safety and appropriateness in comparison to established criteria. Participants bear individual responsibility for personal safety and appropriate behavior within the County right of way.

Although insurance is not required, participants must sign a Participation Agreement and individual volunteers must sign a release of liability. Volunteers work without direct County supervision and without traffic control. Groups are required to provide one adult supervisor for every five minors,
children between the ages of 13 and 17, and volunteers under 13 years of age may not participate.

To show its appreciation and to encourage interest in the program, the County will install two (2) Adopt A Road signs, one at each end of the adopted road segment, with the name of the family, the church, the business, or organization that has adopted the roadway.

The eligible road segments will be as follows:

• Residential roadways Minimum length: 1 mile
• Other roadways Minimum length: 2 miles
• Some roadways may not be eligible for volunteer cleanup due to dense vegetation, heavy traffic, narrow road shoulders with deep roadside ditches, or restricted visibility.

The Adopt-A-Road Program is intended to improve the appearance of our County through litter pickup and is a great way for community-based organizations/groups/businesses and families to show their involvement in the community. Anyone interested in this program should contact Development Services Department at 530-822-7400.

Applications for adopting a road may be downloaded here: Sutter County Adopt a Road Application and emailed to ds-tech@co.sutter.ca.us

Applications can also be acquired in person at the Sutter County Development Services Department, 1130 Civic Center Boulevard, Yuba City.