Peninsula Beautification Project

The Peninsula Beautification Project is funded through the Clean California Local Grants Program, a Caltrans initiative to beautify and reduce litter in our communities. Redwood Community Action Agency and the Humboldt Bay Harbor Recreation and Conservation District are partnering with the community to implement the project, which runs through 2024.   

Project goals include creating welcoming, multi-purpose areas on the peninsula where communities maintain their sense of place and identity; reducing illegal dumping of large items, littering, and vehicle dumping/abandonment; beautifying public spaces to increase the number of welcoming locations where the community can recreate with an enhanced feeling of safety; and the provide engaging opportunities for the community to participate in the project. While there is still much work to be done, with the help of regular community meetings held by the Peninsula Community Collaborative, RCAA has made significant progress toward attaining some of these goals.   

Some recent activities include neighborhood cleanups, installing large rocks to discourage illegal beach access, and creating murals around the peninsula to beautify public spaces.  

Another recent focus has been working with peninsula community members to increase pedestrian and bicycle safety.  Staff recently facilitated a community member walk with Dan Burden, a nationally known walkability expert. Time was spent at the intersection of 255 by the Lighthouse Market. While roundabouts are still a potential long-term solution, the possibility of a pedestrian refuge between east and west lanes was discussed, and a request has been submitted to Caltrans to investigate the possibility further. Other efforts to increase traffic safety include the development of community gateway signs to help let drivers know they are entering a community and should slow down. Staff are working with CalTrans Clean California to develop and install two gateway signs by the end of the year.

Upcoming Events

September 10th, from 12 to 3 p.m., the community is invited to celebrate the newly repainted mural at Redwood Coast Montessori in conjunction with the Ice Cream Social on Grandparent’s Day. Planned activities include a dune scavenger hunt, paint-by-numbers with the mural artist, and wetland improvement. 

On September 23 as a part of California Coastal Cleanup Day, 2023, the Peninsula Beautification project will host a beach cleanup in Samoa. More details to come!