MassDOT highway chief Jonathan Gulliver details statewide cleanup work, volunteer programs, and safety limits for crews

A statewide job that mixes routine maintenance with safety constraints

Massachusetts’ highways are maintained by the MassDOT Highway Division, which oversees the state’s interstates and other limited-access roads as part of a network totaling 9,599 roadway miles under MassDOT ownership. The agency’s highway work spans design and construction as well as day-to-day operations, including litter removal and roadside cleanup.

Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver, appointed in 2017 after joining MassDOT in 2009, has described highway operations as a continuous cycle of maintenance and response work that competes with other urgent needs such as snow and storm operations, incident management, and active construction activity across the state.

How MassDOT approaches highway cleanup

Highway cleanup in Massachusetts is carried out through a combination of MassDOT maintenance efforts and public participation programs designed to keep roadsides clear of litter. Cleanup work is influenced by traffic volume, shoulder width, and worker safety requirements, factors that can limit when and where crews can safely operate along high-speed corridors.

MassDOT’s cleanup work also intersects with major transportation projects and a large capital program. The Highway Division has responsibility for a multi-year investment plan that includes roadway, bridge, and tunnel work, which can affect maintenance scheduling and lane availability.

Volunteer and sponsor programs that add capacity

MassDOT operates an Adopt-A-Highway program that allows volunteer groups to take responsibility for litter removal on a designated highway segment. Under the program’s structure, each participating group adopts a two-mile section of highway and commits to removing litter at least once a month. MassDOT provides recognition signage and sets participation requirements, including minimum team size and age and supervision rules for youth volunteers.

In addition, a separate Sponsor-a-Highway option enables companies to fund contracted litter removal on state highway segments. Program guidance states that sponsor-funded providers conduct more frequent cleanings—listed as 14 to 24 per year—compared with 6 to 8 cleanings associated with Adopt-A-Highway participation.

What residents can do—and what to expect

• Drivers are expected to dispose of trash properly and avoid roadside littering.

• Community groups can organize cleanups through established adoption programs, which include safety training and limitations on what volunteers can collect.

• Businesses that want recurring cleanup on specific highway segments can participate through the sponsorship framework that pays for contracted service.

In recent public appearances, Gulliver has emphasized that highway operations depend on safe work conditions for crews and coordinated planning across maintenance, construction, and weather response.

Leadership context

In 2025, Gulliver received the American Public Works Association’s Professional Manager of the Year Award in Transportation. MassDOT has also highlighted the Highway Division’s statewide role in managing roadway assets and coordinating work across six highway districts, a structure intended to support maintenance and cleanup needs across Massachusetts’ regions.