Clean California Paints New Picture for South Sacramento

SACRAMENTO - Caltrans and the City of Sacramento celebrated on Thursday the completion of a $5.7 million Clean California project on State Route 99 (SR-99) that brings safety improvements, two new murals and other artistic elements to the highway between 2nd Avenue and Turnbridge Drive.

The project included the rehabilitation and beautification of four pedestrian overcrossings, murals at 21st Avenue and 2nd Avenue, and the installation of 18 steel art panels on newly painted soundwalls.

Aesthetic fencing upgrades, improved lighting and rehabilitated concrete at the overcrossings have also improved safety for pedestrians and cyclists.

The improvements are part of Governor Gavin Newsom's Clean California initiative, a sweeping $1.2 billion clean-up effort led by Caltrans to remove trash, beautify public spaces and create thousands of jobs across the state.

"These improvements continue the city's great tradition of featuring beautiful local art as a way to rejuvenate the roadway and shared public spaces," said Caltrans Director Tony Tavares. "Beautifying our highways through Clean California has bolstered community spirit and inspired residents and visitors to take ownership of community cleanliness."

State Route 99 serves as a main thoroughfare in south Sacramento and a critical north and south connections between downtown Sacramento and Elk Grove. It also functions as an important interregional route for residents and freight. The new fencing and community-designed steel art panels at five locations improve the appearance of the highway and enhance the experience residents have when crossing the highway.

Clean California has funded 319 projects statewide to revitalize and beautify underserved communities. Projects are improving 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.

Since July 2021, Caltrans and its local partners have picked up more than 2.8 million cubic yards of litter - enough to cover nine lanes of Interstate 5 with trash from the Mexican border to Oregon. Caltrans also hosted more than 600 free dump days in communities throughout the state - resulting in the collection of 14,000-plus mattresses and 52,000 tires. The initiative has enlisted more than 60,000 community clean-up volunteers and created thousands of jobs, including positions for individuals who were formerly incarcerated, on probation, or experiencing housing insecurity.

Credits: Artist for 21st Avenue Mural: Jaya King; Artists for 2nd Avenue Mural: Luis Campos-Garcia, Jose Lott and Shonna McDaniels; Artists for steel art panels: Heather Hogan, Kerri Warner, Erica Thomas and Kent Smith. The neighborhoods wanted the steel panels art to feature a theme they all had in common and of which they were proud. Nature, landscaping and iconic Sacramento symbols were the prevailing favorites.

For more information, visit CleanCA.com.