The California Department of Transportation recently completed the first Clean California funded project in the state in Manila; what the agency calls a “historically underserved” community on the Humboldt County coast.
[Above image via Caltrans]
The $75,000 project created a recreational area along the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge with picnic tables, benches for wildlife viewing, native plant beds, designated parking spots, decorative trash receptacles, a bike rack and an improved view from nearby State Route 255.
The “parklet” created by this project should also discourage illegal dumping and add a sense of community pride to a previously desolate area, Caltrans noted in a statement.
That “parklet” project is part of the multiyear $1.1 billion Clean California initiative formed by Governor Gavin Newsome (D) and spearheaded by Caltrans to remove trash, create thousands of jobs, and engage communities to transform public spaces.
This project is among 126 Clean California beautification projects worth $312 million that seek to transform communities and create connectivity along the state highway system.
Additionally, in March, Gov. Newsom announced 105 Clean California projects statewide provided nearly $300 million in local grants to remove litter and transform public spaces in underserved communities.