District: District 11 — San Diego and Imperial Counties
Contact: Barbara.C.Moreno@dot.ca.gov
Phone: (619) 688-6670
San Diego: Governor Gavin Newsom’s $1.2 billion Clean California Initiative to beautify public spaces, engage communities, remove trash, and create jobs is launching a “Spring into Action” period to encourage and empower Californians to beautify their neighborhoods. Caltrans, in collaboration with elected officials and community partners, will host 10 days of events in both San Diego and Imperial Counties during Community Days, beginning March 17, and culminating in a public commUNITY Bike, Walk, and Beautify event on a closed portion of State Route 15, Saturday, March 25.
“Clean California Community Days is a statewide movement to bring people together and think about how we can all make a difference in our neighborhoods”, said Caltrans District Director Gustavo Dallarda. “We are using this opportunity to connect with communities rather than run through them, and work on solutions together that result in clean air, clean water, clean communities, and a Clean California.”
Public Events
- Free Dump Day Events – Saturday, March 18, 8 a.m.–12 p.m. – To prevent illegal dumping and highway debris, San Diegans can dispose of household waste safely and properly for free at various Caltrans maintenance yards. The following items will NOT be accepted: hazardous waste (batteries, paint, oils, flammables, etc.), construction debris (concrete, dirt, asphalt, asbestos), compressed gas, aerosols, treated wood waste, refrigerators and freezers. Four mattresses and four tires separated from the rims per household will be accepted.
- Kearny Mesa: 7181 Opportunity Road, San Diego, CA 92111
- Santee: 8502 Railroad Avenue, Santee, CA 92071
- El Centro: 1102 Montenegro Way, El Centro, CA 92243
- Brawley: 200 S. Palm Avenue, Brawley, CA 92227
- commUNITY Bike, Walk & Beautify Event – Saturday, March 25, 10:30 a.m.–1 p.m. – Caltrans is closing traffic on the northbound SR-15 between Harbor Drive & State Route 94 while crews perform routine scheduled maintenance. As the work is being performed, members of the public will have the opportunity to walk and bike the highway, while helping to clean it up.
- This family-friendly event includes games, activities, and art projects. People are encouraged to take the Blue or Orange Line trolley to access the #BikeWalkBeautifySD Event from Main Street/32nd Street, Ocean View Boulevard or Market Street.
Other events include:
- Creating a Sustainability Center, community garden, composting site, and native pollinator patch with STEM students and South Bay Sustainable Communities non-profit at Southwest Middle School on Friday, March 17.
- Supporting Coastal Cleanups with Surfrider San Diego at Imperial and Moonlight Beach on Saturday, March 18.
- Hosting an Adopt-A-Highway Recognition Ceremony in Old Town to honor the programs most active community volunteers and business sponsors on Tuesday, March 21.
- Joining a Youth Leadership Academy in Southeast San Diego to teach community members about the benefits of urban greening with the Urban Collaborative Project-CDC on Tuesday, March 21.
- Read Across America Event and school mural installation with Councilmember Vivian Moreno, local authors, and City of San Diego Retired Employees Association at Sherman Elementary on Thursday, March 23.
- Community Days Vista Cleanup with Senator Catherine Blakespear, City of Vista, and North County Transit District on Sunday, March 26.
How to Get Involved
- Host A Cleanup – March 17-27 – Join thousands of Californians across the state by hosting their own cleanups. Families, organizations, and businesses are eligible to receive free cleanup supplies like pickers and bags by registering at Clean California. Cleanups can be a few neighbors cleaning up their block or a large non-profit cleaning a beach or trail.
Caltrans is also developing the Clean California Community program, in which communities from across the state can seek to earn a designation by meeting criteria centered around preventing and cleaning up litter, promoting recycling, and otherwise greening or beautifying their communities. Incentives will also be offered to encourage communities to earn this designation.
Since launching Clean California in July 2021, Caltrans has removed nearly 1.4 million cubic yards of litter from state highways – the equivalent of more than 23,000 tons or enough trash to fill more than 420 Olympic-size swimming pools – and hired more than 830 new team members as part of Clean California.
Visit CleanCA.com to learn more about how Clean California is transforming communities and how you can get involved.