The New Hampshire Department of Transportation's highly successful Adopt-A-Highway Program is being expanded to include interstate highways and turnpikes.

The Adopt-A-Highway Sponsorship Program will allow private sponsors to "adopt" a minimum two mile segment of highway for a two year period. The sponsored areas will be cleaned and maintained 14 times per year by professional contractors according to the NHDOT's strict safety and litter removal requirements. In return for their commitment to the beautification of New Hampshire's highways, each sponsor will be recognized with the company name and logo placed on signs along the shoulder of the highway.

This form of marketing and public relations has proven cost-effective, offering exposure to millions of motorists annually. To date there has been significant interest in sponsorships along Interstates 95, 89, and 293, the F.E. Everett Turnpike, and the Spaulding Turnpike.

The first Adopt-A-Highway sponsorship sign is scheduled to be erected on the northbound on-ramp to Interstate 95 at the Seabrook Welcome Center on Tuesday, October 17, 2000.

Companies interested in joining the sponsorship program can contact the following participating contractors for more information and pricing: Adopt-A-Highway Maintenance Corporation at 1-800-358-0231 or Litter Removal Service of America at 1-800-291-2542.

Since 1994, the NHDOT's Adopt-A-Highway Program has played a major role in keeping New Hampshire's roadsides clean. Last year 600 participating volunteer groups picked up more than 20,000 bags of litter along 1,483 miles of New Hampshire highways.