Clean California Climate-Resilient Project Reduces Water Usage and Beautifies Rosamond Interchange
Clean California Climate-Resilient Project Reduces Water Usage and Beautifies Rosamond Interchange
ROSAMOND — Caltrans announced today the completion of a $1.6 million Clean California climate-resilient and beautification project on State Route 14 at the interchange with Rosamond Boulevard in eastern Kern County. The project is funded by Governor Gavin Newsom’s Clean California initiative, which is a sweeping $1.2 billion, multiyear commitment led by Caltrans to clean up trash, create thousands of jobs and help communities beautify their public spaces.
The project included the installation of minimal-water-use landscaping made of an artistic blanket of rock mulch and boulders in various shapes and sizes that blend into the surrounding desert environment. The work began on Aug. 7 with the removal of non-native plants and an aging irrigation system. Using truckloads of colorful rock mulch, crews placed a layer of rock and gravel that will slow weed growth and erosion of the soil. The contractor on this project, GBA Engineering, also hydroseeded the slopes to prevent erosion and reinforced a drainage washout with rock that will better withstand rain and water.
“Installing climate-resilient landscaping that needs minimal water is a key part of our Clean California efforts,” said Caltrans Director Tony Tavares. “Not only will the Rosamond Interchange project increase the visual aesthetics of this interchange, but it will also enhance the safety of Caltrans personnel because this type of landscaping doesn’t require as much maintenance.”
This was the second Clean California beautification project in District 9 after the 2022 Mono Lake Guardrail Beautification and Safety Project on U.S. 395 in Mono County.
To learn more, visit CleanCA.com.
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