A local group digs in, and gets dirty to clean-up their community.

The Johnson City Rotary is adopting one of the village's busiest traffic circles.

Action News reporter Reed Buterbaugh tells us the group is now asking others to become parents for local roads.

For many people this traffic circle is the first thing they see in Johnson City.

But, Ron Heebner says due to a lack of upkeep, it was becoming a neighborhood eyesore.

"Who's responsible? It looks a mess and all these people coming to town and we haven't swept our front porch," said Ron Heebner, a Johnson City Rotarian.

The Johnson City Rotary club wanted to clean up the area.

So they became involved in the New York Adopt-a-highway program.

Over 110 adopted sites in Broome County and 5,000 miles throughout the state,

Department of Transportation officials say the program is becoming more popular.

"I think that people are becoming more civic-minded. And there are a lot of great civic-minded organizations in Broome County and Tioga County, Chenango County in our region and throughout the state," said Dave Hamburg of the New York State Department of Transportation.

Adopting a highway doesn't have a price tag.

All that's needed is some free time and someone willing to get their hands dirty.

"DOT will supply the materials that are needed. The vests, and DOT will also come and pick up after the clean up has been done," said Hamburg.

Municipalities are responsible for the clean-up, but Heebner says with budget cutbacks the Rotarians understand they're needed to help out.

"I'm tickled to death to be out here doing this. It looks so much better than we started this morning. And people are driving by and they're waving and saying thank you and honking horns. It's really turned out to be a really good idea to do it," said Heebner.

But still many highways remain orphans, looking to be taken home for adoption.

To get in involved in The New York State Adopt A Highway Program visit www.nysdot.gov