Visalia begins state-first highway litter cleanup program

In deal with Caltrans, Visalia awards Community Services Employment Training (CSET) contract for Highway 198 litter cleanup crew, the first of its kind in the state to have local cleanup on state jurisdiction

VISALIA – Visalia has officially launched their new litter cleanup program with Caltrans, the first of its kind in the state, to clean up and beautify the gateway to the Sequoias: Highway 198.

The agreement is a product of $556,000 from the Clean California Program, a three-year state-funded program that will deliver $1 billion statewide for litter abatement, public education and other beautification projects. The city of Visalia has also appropriated $152,000 from the general fund to match.

The funding has been awarded to Community Services Employment Training (CSET). The nonprofit has created a crew who will clean up Highway 198 two days a week, and up to three days a week in the new fiscal year starting in July.

Visalia, like many other California cities, had previously been hamstrung by jurisdictional issues with cleaning up trash along State Routes, which fall under Caltrans’ purview. Cleaning up trash along a highway is not a particularly safe job, and liability issues came into play with someone other than Caltrans cleaning state roads.

Visalia Mayor Steve Nelsen said Caltrans’ District 6 only cleans up Highway 198 twice a month, and the twice a week CSET team is a welcome sight after months of dealmaking.

“[Highway] 198 is a main thoroughfare to get up to the Sequoias,” Nelsen said. “What kind of image is it if you have litter all over your highway and you’re going up to the pristine Sequoia National Park—that just doesn’t resonate with me.”

Back in December 2021, the Tulare County Board of Supervisors had expressed concerns over SB 1383, a new state law aimed at reducing methane and short-lived climate pollutants at landfills. Supervisor Larry Micari said he fears the increased costs from the unfunded state mandate will lead to more illegal dumping. Supervisor Pete Vander Poel mentioned the Clean California Program as a potential solution.

Visalia has beaten the county to the punch.

Crews clean up the Highway 198 embankment after Visalia unveils a new "Clean California" project aimed toward cleaner California roadways - Photo by Rigo Moran

“Let’s say Highway 63 has an area where someone decided to just illegally dump some trash,” Nelsen said. “We could immediately take this crew and get that cleaned up so it doesn’t become an eyesore that residents have to see on a constant basis. Then the crew could get back to Highway 198.”

The Clean California Program’s $1 billion will be allocated as follows:

$418 million in litter abatement

$287 million in state beautification projects

$296 million in local beautification projects

$33 million in public education

$62 million in project design, construction and local support