Clean California Awards Nearly $115 Million to Transform Neighborhoods in Underserved Communities and Beautify Transit Stations

State of California - Department of Transportation

News Release

Date: October 10, 2023

District: District 12

Phone: (657) 650-5146

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Clean California Awards Nearly $115 Million to Transform Neighborhoods in Underserved Communities and Beautify Transit Stations

Funds Will Support 60 Projects Statewide

SACRAMENTO — Caltrans today awarded nearly $115 million in Clean California grants to cities and local agencies. The grants are a key part of Governor Gavin Newsom’s Clean California initiative, which is a sweeping $1.2 billion, multiyear commitment led by Caltrans to clean up trash, create thousands of jobs and help communities beautify their public spaces.

With today’s announcement, Clean California grants have funded nearly 300 projects statewide to revitalize and beautify underserved communities, some of which are already complete and now sources of community pride. The projects will improve public spaces, tribal lands, parks, neighborhoods, transit centers, walking paths, streets, roadsides, recreation fields, community gathering spots, and places of cultural importance or historical interest in underserved communities.

The 42 Clean Californi a local grants announced today are in addition to the nearly $300 million in grants Governor Newsom announced in March 2022 to more than 100 local Clean California projects statewide. Two projects within Caltrans District 12, serving Orange County, received a total of $2.64 million in this round of local grants.

District 12 projects include:

The Walnut Street Urban Greening Project by the City of Santa Ana has the intent of improving sustainability and aesthetics of the area to promote active transportation and community events and gathering. The project is in one of the most densely populated areas in Orange County and the pathway for the neighborhood to access two schools with more than 4,300 students. The project will include various physical and environmentally friendly improvements. The project will provide multiple benefits to an underserved community including litter abatement, beautification, art displays, and reducing urban heat factor. The Walnut Street project was identified in response to a community call for open space, which does not exist in the area. The grant amount is $2.2 million for the entire project.

The Medal of Honor Trail: Community Health Enhancements Project by the City of Garden Grove will provide new infrastructure that will enhance public health, make cultural connections, contribute to community placemaking, and help bring that vision to life. The project will beautify existing community gathering areas and provide new infrastructure which will promote increased pedestrian/bicyclist traffic on the Trail. Specifically, this project will provide new trash receptacles, new benches, new bicycle racks, and more than 120,000 square feet of mulch at multiple locations throughout the Trail corridor, which will also prevent water runoff and flooding, as well as add longevity to the recently added 363 trees and landscaping. The project will install 22 new pieces of fitness equipment along the Trail to provide a more comfortable and inviting space, while enhancing its use and promoting public health initiatives. The grant amount is $441,000, with a total project cost of $691,000.

Following the positive community response to this first round of grants, Governor Newsom and the state legislature approved $100 million last year for a second round of local grant projects. The local grants awarded today range from $88,000 to $5 million, and all benefit underserved communities. In addition, today’s funding announcement includes $14.5 million to support 18 projects to clean up stations and other areas around public transit systems. Three transit projects within Caltrans District 12, serving Orange County, received a total of $2.373 million in this round of local transit project grants.

Caltrans District 12 transit projects include:

The Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center (SARTC) SARTC Painting & Wrought Iron Fencing project by the City of Santa Ana Public Works Agency will enhance its aesthetic appeal and overall functionality. The proposed project to repaint the exterior of the SARTC and repair or replace the wrought iron fencing aims to provide an appealing and pleasing commuting environment for the community and overall region. Additionally, the project will include ornamental wrought iron fencing replacement around the building as well as the refurbishment of the iconic Santa Ana signage in the courtyard. The grant amount is $1.475 million.

SARTC Outdoor Water Fountain Renovation Project by the City of Santa Ana Public Works Agency will enhance the main entrance of the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center (SARTC), welcoming commuters with an outdoor water fountain, paved walkways, and Spanish-style lighting. As the main decorative art installation of the SARTC's entrance, the outdoor water fountain intends to enhance the commuter experience by providing an aesthetically pleasing and tranquil environment. The proposed project to renovate the SARTC water fountain is one of many repair and facility improvement projects of an aging facility that has not seen any major renovations. Replacing worn out equipment will make better use of the fountain water and electricity; therefore, increasing efficiency in water usage and reducing resources that furthers green practices. With the highly anticipated completion of the OC Streetcar in 2024 and SARTC serving as the eastern terminus, traffic is expected to increase attracting new transit users. The water fountain replacement will assist in revitalizing the SARTC, highlighting the facility's unique character and improving the transit experience of our new and existing commuters. The grant amount is $500,000.

The Santa Ana Bus Stop Improvements Project by the City of Santa Ana will provide much needed bus stop amenities at a total of 37 Orange County Transportation Authority bus stops within the City of Santa Ana. Specifically, this project will provide one bus shelter, 34 benches, 28 trash bins, 2 trees and up to 5 spot sidewalk repairs. The shelter and benches will afford transit users the ability to comfortably sit while they wait for the bus to arrive. The trash bins will provide a place for trash to be placed instead of just being thrown on the ground. The grant amount is $398,000.

Since launching Clean California in July 2021, Caltrans and local partners have removed an estimated 1.86 million cubic yards of litter from state highways – a trash pile that would be more than 370 times taller than Mount Whitney (14,505 feet, the state’s highest peak). The program has created more than 4,000 jobs that have helped Californians overcome barriers to employment, including 357 people experiencing homelessness, and drawn more than 10,000 volunteers to events ranging from community cleanups to large debris collections for appliances, tires and mattresses.

As the Clean California effort moves forward, Caltrans and local communities will continue to draw attention to the negative impact litter has on natural resources, waterways, public safety and public health to create a cultural shift of shared responsibility for clean and vibrant public spaces.

Caltrans is also developing a program in which communities throughout the state can earn a special Clean California Community designation by meeting criteria centered around preventing and cleaning up litter, promoting recycling and greening or beautifying neighborhoods. To find out how to volunteer with Clean California, please visit Clean California.

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