What was once a plain concrete wall along SR 99 has been transformed into a vibrant community landmark, where Clean California funding supported the creation of colorful murals that now welcome residents and travelers into Sacramento. Photo courtesy of Caltrans

SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) – More than 136,000 garbage trucks worth of litter has been cleared from state highways and communities in the four years of Governor Gavin Newsom’s Clean California effort.

The Sept. 4 announcement comes after the Newsom convened a new statewide task force last week to prioritize and remove encampments and bring services and shelter to individuals experiencing homelessness along state rights-of-way in California’s ten largest cities.

Emerging as one of the most successful environmental initiatives brought forward by Governor Newsom, the $1.2 billion Clean California effort has provided a visible and lasting impact on communities throughout the state, while also supporting long-term goals aimed at climate resiliency, economic equity and public safety. Program highlights include the following.

Maintenance crews dedicated to cleaning state highways and public rights of way, 650 free dump days hosted in urban and rural communities, 639 pieces of art installed on the highways, 72,000 community clean-up volunteers (according to a survey from Keep America Beautiful), 314 beautification projects, including the development of new parks, public art and improvements at several transit stations. Of these, 191 projects have been completed and 18,000 job opportunities created.

So far, 110 communities have pledged to become a designated Clean California Community by agreeing to complete specific criteria that demonstrate long-term commitments to zero littler, community beautification and environmental enhancement. Thirty communities have already achieved full designation status.

 “Clean California has become an overwhelming success and a model our state can continue to build on. Yes, we’ve removed hundreds of thousands of garbage trucks worth of trash from our roads and highways, but it’s more than that — we’ve invested in communities all across our state with public art projects and parks, creating thousands of jobs and lifting up countless neighborhoods in need,” said Governor Gavin Newsom.

Caltrans District 3 completed the $5.7 million State Route 99 Beautification and Safety Improvement Project in Sacramento. This transformative project improves and upgrades a 9-mile stretch of SR 99 between the Broadway Undercrossing and the Stockton Boulevard Overcrossing.

Key project features include rehabilitation, illumination, and beautification of four pedestrian overcrossings, community-designed steel art panels installed on newly painted sound walls at five locations, new fencing, landscaping, slope paving and curbs to improve drainage and safety, beautiful mosaic tile art panels at on- and off-ramps, visible to pedestrians, cyclists and motorists and two large murals sponsored by Caltrans at 2nd Avenue and 21st Avenue, bringing vibrant color and community identity to the corridor.

The project was made possible thanks to partnerships with the City of Sacramento, Vietnamese American Community of Sacramento, Oak Park Neighborhood Association, Sierra Curtis Park Neighborhood Association, Valley Hi Neighborhood Association/Mesa Grande Neighborhood Association and the Franklin Neighborhood Development Corporation.

Together, these partners turned a vision into reality in just over 19 months, delivering lasting safety improvements and a strong sense of community pride for Sacramento residents.

“This project shows the power of collaboration between Caltrans, the City of Sacramento, and neighborhood groups. By working together, we turned a gray corridor into a welcoming gateway filled with art, color, and community identity. These improvements not only enhance safety and drainage but also create spaces Sacramento residents can feel proud of every day,” said Sergio Aceves, Caltrans District 3 Director.

To learn more about how California is creating a brighter future by building more, faster – for all, by visiting build.ca.gov. 

For more info on Clean California and the designation program, visit CleanCA.com.