The nearly two-million dollar Clean California project features new native landscaping and vibrant art that aims to revitalize public spaces along 4th Street between Yerba Buena Gardens and the Moscone Transit Center, Caltrans said on Thursday.
The project was made possible through Governor Gavin Newsom's Clean California initiative, a more than billion-dollar, multi-year clean-up effort led by Caltrans to remove trash, create thousands of jobs and engage communities to improve public areas.
The beautification effort on 4th Street between Howard and Folsom streets involved the introduction of 8,600 native and drought-resistant plants and flowers, including manzanitas, yarrows, California fuchsias, Bee's Bliss sage, agaves and aeoniums planted in front of the Yerba Buena Gardens complex across from the newly opened Moscone Transit Center.
According to Caltrans, the improvements made to Yerba Buena Gardens have transformed the once-iconic landmark which had fallen into neglect over the years. Two local artists designed a pair of 55-foot vinyl murals that adorn the concrete walls as a backdrop to the newly landscaped embankment.
Caltrans Director Tony Tavares in a statement: "The SoMa project provides a much-needed place for people to connect, and it also celebrates the cultural influences that give this neighborhood its identity."
Since launching Clean California in July 2021, Caltrans has removed about two-million cubic yards of litter from state highways.
The program has created more than 4,000 jobs that have helped Californians overcome barriers to employment, including 357 people who had been experiencing homelessness, and drawn more than 10,000 volunteers to events ranging from community cleanups to large debris collections for appliances, tires and mattresses.