Press Release - City of Fullerton Ribbon Cutting Ceremony - Clean California Transit Enhancement Project

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CLEAN CALIFORNIA PROJECT REVITALIZES HISTORIC FULLERTON TRANSIT HUB INTO A VIBRANT GATEWAY TO ORANGE COUNTY

FULLERTON - Caltrans, in collaboration with the City of Fullerton, celebrated the completion of the Clean California Transit Enhancement Project with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the historic Fullerton Transportation Center.

The $800,000 project was made possible through Governor Gavin Newsom's Clean California initiative, a sweeping, $1.2 billion, multiyear clean-up effort led by Caltrans to remove trash, create thousands of jobs and join with communities throughout the state to reclaim, transform and beautify public spaces.

Key features include:

• Restoration of the historic train depot, including fresh painting, new lighting, and a variety of safety upgrades, such as rehabilitation of the walkway and pedestrian bridge;
• A new public mural by local artists PANDR, establishing a bold visual gateway to downtown. Sixteen vibrant 4-foot square vinyl prints-eight on each of the station's two elevator towers-celebrate the rich history and cultural identity of Fullerton. The mural features iconic imagery such as expansive orange groves, hometown baseball legend Tommy Lasorda, and the historic Santa Fe train, which helped put Fullerton on the map when the train station became a key stop in the 1930s;
• New signage provide solar-powered, real-time transit information;
• New bicycle racks and restriped bike lanes to support active transportation and keep pedestrians and bicyclist safer.

"By restoring this national landmark and major Orange County gateway, the project fulfills Clean California's mission to clean up the state and invest in local projects that help residents take pride in their local communities," said Caltrans District 12 Director Lan Zhou. "With the Fullerton Transit Center, it's incredibly rewarding to see how our shared goals translated into a space that prioritizes safety, enhances mobility, and strengthens connection."

The event drew Fullerton Mayor Fred Jung, Mayor Pro Tem Dr. Shana Charles, Councilmember Jamie Valencia, Metrolink Chief Customer Experience Officer Lisa Bahr, CA Senator Steven Choi, Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva, and representatives from the offices of CA Senator Tom Umberg and Congressman Derek Tran, as well as local residents to unveil the revitalized transit hub.

More than 400 community survey responses helped shape development of the project, and the work was carried out in partnership with Metrolink, OCTA, Amtrak, and creative firms including Selbert Perkins Design, PANDR, and Soofa.

"The Fullerton Transportation Center is one of the busiest transit hubs in Orange County, and these enhancements make it more welcoming, accessible, and easier to navigate," said Fullerton Mayor Fred Jung. "This is a shining example of how partnerships with Caltrans and other agencies can deliver real value to residents and visitors alike."

Sunayana Thomas, Fullerton Director of Community & Economic Development, added, "This project gave us the opportunity to invest in both infrastructure and placemaking. Thanks to Caltrans' support, we were able to pair functionality with creativity, bringing a renewed sense of identity to one of our city's most important gateways."

Since July 2021, Caltrans and its local partners have picked up more than 2.9 million cubic yards of litter - enough to cover nine lanes of Interstate 5 with trash from the Mexican border to Oregon. Caltrans also hosted more than 650 free dump days in communities throughout the state - resulting in the collection of 15,500-plus mattresses and 57,000 tires. The initiative has enlisted more than 72,000 community clean-up volunteers and created thousands of jobs, including positions for individuals who were formerly incarcerated, on probation, or experiencing housing insecurity. Learn more about Clean California's impact in Orange County.

Visit build.ca.gov to learn about transformative infrastructure projects happening in communities throughout the state.

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