CCI to break ground on Calexico International Gateway Beautification Project

CALEXICO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - State, Mexican, and regional officials will join Caltrans to break ground on the Clean California Calexico International Gateway Project.

Straightaway, this project is in part of Governor Gavin Newsom's multi-year $1.2 billion cleanup effort to create thousands of jobs.

Not only that, the cleanup effort will also remove litter and engage in communities in beautification efforts across the state.

"California Day"

Furthermore, this event coincides with others happening in Mexico City and San Diego.

This is off the heels of U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar declaring "California Day."

For further context, "California Day" celebrates the binational relationship with Mexico on key border projects and initiatives.

“Here where we are right now is a gateway to Mexico and we are telling our community that we are proud of our community. We want to have a clean community and certainly we also want to be role models for people that come to visit us,” said Javier Moreno, mayor of Calexico.

This project will welcome border travelers by adding a community identifiable gateway monument and sustainable decorative hardscaping near the Calexico east port of entry. 

“People should have more pride I think as they see clean highways that also hopefully leads to them having more pride in their community and not litter because that litter creates a public health hazard,” said Ben Hueso, California Senator 40th District.

This project will also bring more transportation stops

“We want to have a place where people have a refuge from the sun but also have a place where people can have and be waiting for their mass transit,” said Shawn Rizzutto, Supervisor transportation Engineer at Caltrans.

The project has already started and hope to be finished by the end of next summer.