Highway 166 in New Cuyama receives roughly $1 million from CalTrans for beautification project
NEW CUYAMA, Calif. -- CalTrans is awarding approximately $1 million of Gov. Gavin Newsom's $1.1 billion Clean California initiative for a beautification project along Highway 166 in New Cuyama.
The project will establish a windrow of drought-tolerant shade trees along the highway right-of-way, replace the right-of-way fencing that is in poor condition with "decorative and artistic accents" appropriate to the history of the native Chumash people in the region, install community identifiers, and upgrade an existing historic monument, according to Jack Forinash, spokesman for the project.
The project is being supervised by the Cuyama Valley's Townsites Beautification and Wayfinding Working Group, community advocates who meet regularly.
In the fall of 2021, CalTrans contacted the group to see if it was interested in a roadside beautification project and hosted working group meetings to present the project's progress, Forinash said.
"This beautification project is the result of being ready for resources, the outcome possible from diligent, consistent work by the volunteer members of the Townsites Beautification and Wayfinding Working Group,” said Forinash.
“Back in 2018-19 Cuyamans came together to identify projects and improvement opportunities and to establish Working Groups: local people with the passion and time to advance community priorities forward. Caltrans’ representative easily recognized the clarity of vision of the Working Group members as advocates for Cuyama and our neighbors."
