By Bob Woods
Aviation Division
Finally, a new program is being considered that will allow private citizens an opportunity to support Texas Department of Transportation’s anti-litter and beautification programs by adopting an airport for the purpose of controlling and reducing litter, beautifying, and creating better public awareness for airports. This new program will be similar to TxDOT’s Adopt-a-Highway, Adopt-a-Freeway, Landscaping, and Cost Sharing programs as sanctioned within Chapter 2, Environmental Policy, Subchapter D, Public Participation Program.
The following brief module gets to the point:
Why Adopt-An-Airport:
Safety: Adopt-an-Airport makes the airport safer by removing debris from safety zone areas along runways and taxiways.
Beautification: Adopt-an-Airport assists airport managers and operators by improving the appearance of the airport. Dressing up the airport entrance, picking up trash along access roads and fences, mowing and trimming, and painting and maintaining the buildings.
Education: Adopt-an-Airport informs the public of the advantages and economic impact that airports have on their city.
Public Investment: Adopt-an-Airport serves to involve local civic groups while promoting the airport and the volunteer groups through the local media.
The Adopt-an-Airport Program will not only assist in the maintenance and beautification of all airports but will assist in the education of the general public about what goes on at their airport and how much of an economic impact the airport has on their community.
The program also offers an opportunity to civic clubs, garden clubs or chambers of commerce to contribute on a voluntary basis to their community and state. These efforts will also generate publicity for these groups and their efforts.
Regarding procedures for participating in the program, a volunteer group would need to apply to TxDOT to adopt an airport or part of an airport when sharing work with another group within their community. The applicant would have the responsibility of working on that airport or part of the airport for a minimum of four times a year in a two-year period.
Each group would complete a formal application, including age and safety training requirements, and sign a “Hold Harmless Agreement.” Each volunteer would be furnished a safety vest to wear while working at the airport. Finally, TxDOT would erect a permanent identification sign at the airport’s entrance or in proximity of the “airport tum-sign” on the nearest highway, which would identify group or groups responsible for the care of that airport.
Two airport sponsors in the TxDOT Yoakum District, Fayette Regional (La Grange) and Yoakum, are presently working with district representatives to adopt airports as soon as possible. It is anticipated that many other sponsors across the state will follow suit to increase the public awareness of the airport’s importance to their communities.
If you are interested in starting an Adopt-an-Airport Program for your airport, write to TxDOT Aviation Division, 125 E. 11th Street, Austin Texas 78701-2483 or contact Bob Woods at 512/416-4503.
