In a collaborative effort to fight roadside litter and promote environmental responsibility, multiple local and state agencies joined forces April 13 to clean up a stretch of Gorst frequently plagued by debris.

Kitsap County Public Works Solid Waste Division, the Kitsap County Board of Commissioners, the state Department of Transportation and the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office participated in the cleanup effort, targeting one of the county’s most heavily traveled areas.

During the cleanup, crews picked up piles of common litter, including bottles, cans, disposable coffee cups, fast food wrappers, chip bags, and cigarette butts.

“This was our second annual state-county clean-up of this dangerous and heavily littered part of the state highway,” said Christine Rolfes, chair of the Board of Commissioners (District 1). “Litter can be prevented if everyone does their part, including commercial trucks hauling waste through the corridor. It’s very rewarding to be part of a clean-up effort – there are a surprising number of reptiles and amphibians along that busy stretch, so in addition to removing the trash, you know that you are making a difference to the critters and Puget Sound.

Rolfes noted that this year’s effort came after she and fellow commissioners added it to their work plan following the success of last year’s cleanup. The Gorst corridor remains a top priority due to its high traffic volume and litter from unsecured loads and windblown debris. The Board of Commissioners had requested that Public Works collaborate with WSDOT to organize the cleanup, and all three commissioners volunteered on site.

Commissioner Katie Walters (District 3) called it “a rewarding day of service, working together to support our community and protect the environment. Let our mountain of trash be a reminder to please secure your load. We need everyone’s help to keep Kitsap clean and beautiful.”

Commissioner Oran Root (District 2) said, “The Gorst corridor cleanup reminds us that meaningful change doesn’t always require grand gestures—it’s about consistency and persistence. It’s about leaving things better than we found them.”

In addition to the commissioners, six staff from the county’s Solid Waste Division and three WSDOT employees participated in the effort, supported by additional WSDOT crews operating sweepers and mowers.

Hannah Vinyard, a communicator with Kitsap County Public Works, said WSDOT and the Department of Ecology are primarily responsible for maintaining and cleaning state highways in Kitsap County. Ecology’s adult and youth litter crews typically operate throughout the spring and summer, and their white litter bags are a familiar sight along local highways.

Vinyard also noted that in 2024, the Solid Waste Division secured grant funding to contract a private company for cleanup work along on- and off-ramps of some of the most littered highways. The division also continues to promote its Adopt A Spot volunteer program, which enables individuals and community groups to take responsibility for sections of roadway throughout the county.

In 2024 alone, Clean Kitsap employees and volunteers removed over 162 tons of litter and debris from more than 3,000 miles of county roadway.

To learn more about how you can help keep Kitsap County clean and safe, visit: ecology.wa.gov

Kitsap Commissioners Oran Root ( District 2), Katie Walters ( District 3) and Christine Rolfes ( District 1) helped clean up trash in Gorst.