DOTD Highlights Scale of Litter Cleanup Investments as Love the Boot Week Begins
Monday, April 20, 2026 at 12:17:39 PM
BATON ROUGE, La. – The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) is continuing its commitment to cleaner, safer roadways as part of Keep Louisiana Beautiful’s annual Love the Boot Week, taking place April 18-26, 2026.
As a partner in Louisiana’s largest statewide litter removal and beautification effort, DOTD crews will participate in cleanup activities across all 64 parishes throughout the week. Organized by Keep Louisiana Beautiful and the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, this year’s initiative commemorates America’s 250th birthday and encourages residents to take pride in their communities.
While Love the Boot Week highlights these efforts, DOTD conducts litter removal year-round. In fiscal year 2025, the department invested approximately $15.4 million in litter removal and sweeping operations, collecting nearly 96,000 cubic yards of litter from state roadways, the most on record.
To put that into perspective, it would take approximately 6,000 garbage trucks to haul away that volume of litter. If spread across the football field at Tiger Stadium, the pile would stand nearly 45 feet deep, burying the goalposts twice over. If arranged one yard wide and one yard high, it would stretch more than 54 miles, crossing the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway twice.
“We are incredibly proud of our teams across the state for their dedication and hard work in removing nearly 100,000 cubic yards of litter from Louisiana’s roadways,” said DOTD Secretary Glenn Ledet. “That level of effort reflects our commitment to T4LA by delivering real results for the people of Louisiana and while we’ve made meaningful progress, there is still more work to do. We are excited to kick-off Love the Boot Week and continue building a cleaner, safer Louisiana together.”
DOTD has taken a number of additional steps to strengthen its litter abatement efforts statewide. The department recently awarded five new litter contracts, restoring coverage across approximately 281 miles of interstate in key areas. In addition, two extra litter pickup cycles have been added to existing contracts, expanding coverage across approximately 350 miles of additional roadway.
The department is also expanding partnerships through its Sponsor-a-Highway program. The first sponsor has been identified in the New Orleans area with additional demonstration segments planned in Baton Rouge and Lafayette.
Beyond litter pickup, DOTD is increasing roadway sweeping operations. Recent contract updates and new agreements will add more than 1,200 curb miles of sweeping statewide, supported by the addition of new equipment.
Despite these efforts, litter remains a significant issue across Louisiana. The total annual cost of litter abatement is estimated at $91.4 million statewide. Litter impacts communities by contributing to flooding, harming wildlife, diminishing quality of life, and negatively affecting economic development and tourism.
DOTD encourages all residents to take part in Love the Boot Week by properly disposing of waste and participating in local cleanup events.
For more information or to get involved, visit www.keeplouisianabeautiful.org. Residents can also follow DOTD on Facebook, Instagram, and X for updates on cleanup efforts and ongoing initiatives.
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