PITTSBURGH — The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and the Department of Environmental Protection joined the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday to launch the 2026 “Pick Up PA” litter cleanup initiative.
The collaborative effort aims to prepare the state for a historic tourism season that is expected to bring more than 209 million visitors to the Commonwealth.
The cleanup campaign is designed to beautify communities ahead of the 2026 America250 celebrations and major sporting events, including the NFL Draft in April. Organizers are seeking volunteers to clean roads, parks and streams to protect natural resources and accommodate the hundreds of thousands of fans expected to arrive in Pittsburgh this spring.
The 2026 tourism season features several high-profile events in addition to the America250 celebration. These include the PGA Championship, FIFA World Cup and the MLB All-Star Series. State officials expect 600,000 fans to attend the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh alone.
PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll highlighted the importance of local participation to manage the influx of travelers.
“With the eyes of the world pointing at the Commonwealth, we are eternally grateful to our committed volunteers for helping us Pick Up PA,” Carroll said. “We are all stewards of our environment. I encourage everyone to get involved in Pick Up PA, and, if you own a business, consider sponsoring a roadway in the Commonwealth.”
The initiative also addresses the environmental impact of litter, which can pollute waterways with microplastics and harm local wildlife. Jessica Shirley, secretary of the DEP, noted that the mission relies on cooperation between various organizations and residents.
“One of the key parts of DEP’s mission is partnership and it is thanks to tremendous partners like Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, PennDOT, Adopt-A-Highway sponsors and so many others that we are fighting litter in Pennsylvania,” Shirley said. “Thanks to volunteers across the Commonwealth we are ready to keep Pennsylvania and America litter-free for the next 250 years.”
The Pittsburgh Steelers are collaborating on the effort to prepare the city for its role as a global host. Cecelia Cagni, director of corporate communications for the Pittsburgh Steelers, said the team is eager to showcase the region.
“We are excited to welcome football fans from around the world to Pittsburgh for the 2026 Draft, showcasing all our region has to offer – our iconic landscape, innovative spirit, cultural vibrancy and more,” Cagni said. “We are grateful to the host of dedicated volunteers and partners who are stepping up in true Pittsburgh fashion to ensure Pennsylvania’s natural beauty shines brightly on this global stage.”
The cleanup efforts are supported by various programs, including Sponsor-A-Highway (SAH). Under this program, businesses can fund litter removal performed by skilled maintenance forces on interstates and expressways. Participants receive roadside acknowledgement signs featuring their business name and logo. These resources are available on PennDOT’s revamped cleanup website.
The 2026 initiative builds on significant participation from the previous year. In 2025, 81,500 volunteers participated in Pick Up PA, collecting more than 4 million pounds of litter and 6.1 million pounds of recycled materials. During that same period, volunteers also planted nearly 63,000 trees and flowers.
PennDOT’s Adopt-A-Highway program also saw high engagement in 2025. The program coordinated 26,000 volunteers from 4,700 groups. Together, these participants collected more than 40,000 bags of trash from roadways across the state.
Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW