LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) — The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) has crews working along state roadways to pick up litter.

Up through April 13, DOTD will be recognizing Keep Louisiana Beautiful’s “Love the Boot” campaign.
      
DOTD Public Information Officer Deidra Druilhet explains that Love the Boot is an important initiative aimed at keeping the state’s roadways and ditches clear of debris.

“People say we have those hundred-year storms, but we are seeing those types of storms more frequently. Believe it or not, if litter has accumulated all that litter can impact our drainage system and it can impact water from being able to flow from roadways,” Druilhet stated.

Also, Druilhet says litter increases water flow concerns when it comes to ditches.

On Monday, DOTD’s Lafayette Parish crew worked along University Avenue between I-10 and Pont des Mouton.

“Let’s say someone has an open-bed truck, a piece of paper may fly off or a piece of lumber may fall from the back of the truck. That litter gets tossed onto our roadways and into our ditches. It can impact our infrastructure system,” she added.

There will be crews across the Acadiana region. Last year’s litter pickup for DOTD speaks volumes. “We removed about a little over 60,000 cubic yards and to put that into perspective that’s enough trash to fill 18 Olympic-sized swimming pools,” Druilhet noted.

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