CLEARFIELD — The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation District 2 held an event Friday to explain the creation of and penalties of littering in a Litter Enforcement Corridor.

Among the newly designated Litter Enforcement areas is a section of highway in Elk County.

As partners in this effort, PennDOT was joined at the event by the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP), and Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful (KPB). During the event, the partners explained what a Litter Enforcement Corridor is, why they’re important and what the penalties are for littering in them.

Friday’s local event took place along Route 1001 (River Road) in Clearfield at Elliott’s Park. River Road is one of nine roads in Clearfield County to be designated as a Litter Enforcement Corridor. Sections of Route 120 in Elk and Clinton counties have also been designated as a Litter Enforcement Corridor. To date, more than 350 miles have been designated in the three counties.

Litter Enforcement Corridors have a high aesthetic or historic value worth preserving or need some additional help with litter issues. Approved segments are marked with signs to notify motorists of additional litter fines: doubled penalties for motorists caught scattering rubbish and tripled when it is done by a commercial business. Litter Enforcement Corridors also offer increased safety for workers or volunteers who are picking up trash in a designated corridor.

When drivers in these areas see traffic control devices, they must yield the right of way, as in a construction work zone. For this reason, it’s important to plan a cleanup event with local or state authorities involved when possible.

For more information on establishing a Litter Enforcement Corridor, consult PennDOT’s Roadside Enforcement Manual on PennDOT’s website.