The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) has been honored with three prestigious national awards for its efforts in statewide beautification. These awards recognize TDOT’s initiatives in litter prevention, waste tire recycling, and promoting scenic roadways.
“TDOT is proud to deliver award-winning, standard-setting programs for litter prevention and beautification,” said Deputy Governor & TDOT Commissioner Butch Eley. “As a department, we strive to set national best practices and leverage partnerships to keep roadsides and rights-of-way clean for the enjoyment and safety of the traveling public.”
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The awards received are as follows:
1. **2024 Anvil Award, Public Relations Society of America**: TDOT’s “Nobody Trashes Tennessee” litter prevention campaign was recently honored at the Public Relations Society of America’s (PRSA) 2024 Anvil Awards. Now in its 80th year, the Anvil Awards celebrate the top public relations campaigns and tactics in the country. TDOT earned an Award of Excellence for its 3rd Annual No Trash November campaign, which engaged TDOT partners, Adopt-A-Highway participants, youth groups, and residents in a statewide litter cleanup. Over 2,200 volunteers participated in 154 events, removing more than 86,000 pounds of litter from Tennessee’s roadways and waterways.
2. **2024 Environmental Excellence Award, Federal Highway Administration**: The Federal Highway Administration awarded TDOT’s Tires to Trails project the 2024 Environmental Excellence Award. This project, in collaboration with Tennessee State Parks, created a 2.5-mile hard-surface walking and biking trail at T.O. Fuller State Park. Constructed entirely from rubber crumbs derived from 24,000 waste and illegally dumped tires, the trail is one of the longest rubber-bearing trails in the country. The tires were collected by volunteers and local contractors, processed into crumbs by Patriot Tire Recycling in Bristol, and then used to build the trail.
3. **2024 Byway Community Award, National Scenic Byway Foundation**: The National Scenic Byway Foundation awarded the 2024 Byway Community Award for Interpretation to the Tennessee and North Carolina Scenic Byway Programs. TDOT partnered with the North Carolina Department of Transportation to develop an electronic guide titled “Mountain Byways of Tennessee and Western North Carolina.” This free e-Guide, available at www.tn.gov/tdot/ScenicRoadways, highlights visitor experiences and attractions along 14 Scenic Byway routes in both states, including scenic views, outdoor recreation sites, historic sites, cultural experiences, and family-friendly locations.
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