MoDOT, Law Enforcement Work to Reduce Litter

This June, motorists in the Kansas City area should notice increased enforcement on Missouri state highways as regional agencies are scheduling a saturation patrol, focusing on reducing roadside litter. The Missouri Department of Transportation spent $13.6 million in 2023 to remove litter on state highways and roadsides and are predicted to spend at least that much this year.

“MoDOT doesn’t place trash along the highways, but we are tasked with removing it,” said MoDOT KC District Engineer Chris Redline. “Based on MoDOT’s observations, we believe a significant amount of trash along the highways comes from loaded and unloaded commercial vehicles. Often, unloaded trailers aren’t covered, and residual trash blows out.”

Both state laws and federal regulations address how commercial vehicles must regulate their equipment to avoid potential littering. Specifically, revised Statutes of Missouri 577.070 addresses littering on the highway, and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration states that all “cargo must be firmly immobilized or secured on or within a vehicle by structures of adequate strength….”  To ensure all loads are secure and not blowing onto the highway, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and other law enforcement agencies are focusing on enforcing these laws and regulations during June. The exact date of this patrol is not yet determined, however MoDOT sent letters to all trash hauling companies in the region letting them know of the upcoming enforcement.

“It is the goal of the Missouri State Highway Patrol to ensure the safety of each motorist traveling along Missouri's highways,” said MSHP Captain Steven Wilhoit. “The dislodging of any item from a vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer creates a significant risk of property damage or even worse, a motor vehicle crash. Missouri law requires all motorists to properly secure and/or cover any material(s) within the bed of a pickup, dump truck, or any trailer.”

“We want haulers to follow Missouri statutes and Commercial Vehicle rules and regulations,” Redline said. “Missouri is a beautiful state, and we want to keep it that way.”

MoDOT has a new volunteer litter pick up program, Keeping Missouri Beautiful. Volunteer groups may sign up and perform litter clean up events on state highways coordinated through MoDOT’s district office. For more information, visit www.modot.org/litter-cleanup.

KPGZ News - Brian Watts contributed to this story