Assessment of Litter Hot Spot Areas for Targeted Reduction in Prince George's County

The frequency and volume of litter and illegal dumping on state and county roadways in Prince George’s County are increasing, despite efforts like scheduled litter blitzes, which have shown limited long-term success. Over the past five years, the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) spent approximately $42 million removing litter and debris, with last year’s costs alone reaching $15 million—the equivalent of 45 new dump trucks or nearly 60 miles of resurfaced roads (Source WBAL News: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/drivers-watch-out-for-operation-clean-sweep-maryland/ar-BB1jY1rr). These expenditures are unsustainable, especially given recent fiscal shortfalls. This joint research proposal, submitted by District 3 and Prince George’s County Department of Public Works and Transportation (DPW&T), aims to evaluate litter hot spots at the census tract level, as current efforts have not addressed the root causes of the issue. Prince George’s County, a well-resourced and educated area, presents unique challenges, suggesting the problem extends beyond awareness or resource deficits.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $148,592.38
• Contract Numbers:

  SPR25B4D

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration

  707 North Calvert Street
  Baltimore, MD  United States  21202
• Managing Organizations:

  Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration

  707 North Calvert Street
  Baltimore, MD  United States  21202
• Project Managers:

  Wyatt, Steve

• Performing Organizations:

  University of Maryland, College Park

  Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
  College Park, MD  United States  20742
• Principal Investigators:

  Yang, Xianfeng “Terry”

  Cheng, Yao

• Start Date: 20250516
• Expected Completion Date: 20261231
• Actual Completion Date: 0
• USDOT Program: Human Factors

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Behavior; Cleaning; Costs; Highway maintenance; Litter; Roadside
• Geographic Terms: Prince George's County (Maryland)
• Subject Areas: Finance; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01989117
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration
• Contract Numbers: SPR25B4D
• Files: RIP, STATEDOT
• Created Date: May 13 2026 9:15AM