California on June 15 recognized three Caltrans employees with the Governor’s State Employee Medal of Valor, the highest honor bestowed to public servants who perform extraordinary acts of heroism above and beyond the normal call of duty and at great risk to their own lives. "The heroism recognized today from these Caltrans employees reflects the extraordinary courage, selflessness and commitment to keep Californians safe,” said California Transportation Agency (CalSTA) Secretary Toks Omishakin.
As thousands of western monarch butterflies return this fall to their overwintering sites along the central coast and other coastal locations of California, Caltrans and partner agencies are working to protect their migration and habitats, which are increasingly stressed by urban growth and climate change. Caltrans’ engagement in the collaborative effort demonstrates the department’s commitment to the long‑term conservation of western monarchs.
Have you ever wanted to continue working at Caltrans while getting to know a different part of the state? Temporary assignments are designed to address urgent, seasonal or specialized needs in shop, maintenance projects, or construction support often providing employees with the opportunity to gain experience in higher-level classifications. John Saldana, a Highway Equipment Superintendent II in Eureka, learned of an opportunity in District 4.
For Maintenance employees looking to take the next step in their careers, the CDL Fast Track Program is opening new doors across Caltrans District 2. Since launching in October 2025, the program has already helped eight employees earn their Class A Commercial Driver’s License (CDL), creating new opportunities for upward mobility within the department.
Early this year, Caltrans District 7 celebrated a ribbon cutting for the fully completed Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-accessible ramp at the District Office in downtown Los Angeles. Hosted in Edythe and Eli Broad Plaza, the event brought together leadership, staff, and members of the District 7 Disability Advisory Committee (DAC), whose ongoing advocacy helped carry the project forward over the course of several years.
For more than six decades, the Whiskey Creek Bridge corridor has played a vital role in connecting communities along State Route 299 in Shasta County. The story of this stretch of highway dates back to 1960, when the relocation of five miles of State Route 299 became necessary due to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s planned construction of Whiskeytown Dam.
The 62nd Annual Caltrans Invitational Golf Tournament was held in Sparks, Nevada, on May 14 and 15. Six teams from Caltrans Golf Clubs from around the state participated in this event, competing for prizes, pride and bragging rights. District 5 Golf Club earned top team honors, rocketing past second place Caltrans Capitol Golf Club (Headquarters) on the second day of the two-day event.
Right now, there’s a whole squad of culverts in District 1 getting a glow-up. My mission? Figure out what’s flowing through, stormwater or an actual stream. If it’s storm runoff, yawn … the habitat’s usually a hot mess. But if it’s a stream with a steep slope and rocky bottom? Cue the drumroll, that’s prime real estate for my favorite amphibian. This little frog is tiny, elusive, loves fancy digs, and get this, it doesn’t even make a peep! Meet the Coastal Tailed Frog.
Simultaneous road closures caused by flooding created major challenges for Humboldt County travelers just before Christmas 2025. But for the Fortuna Maintenance Crew, it was business as usual. Late in the morning of Sunday, Dec. 21, Fortuna Maintenance Supervisor Jason Sells began receiving calls about rising waters along U.S. Highway 101 near College of the Redwoods south of Eureka. By then, flooding had already shut down Route 211, the Avenue of the Giants, and the Hookton Road offramp, and conditions were getting worse.
As a revegetation specialist, Toni Rose’s duties include permittee responsible mitigation for biological impacts on projects. She also assists biologists with project impact assessments and botanical surveys. It is Toni’s responsibility to set up contract work with outside agencies such as Resource Conservation Districts to perform onsite revegetation.
Financial well-being and mental health are deeply interconnected, as financial stress frequently causes anxiety, depression and physical health issues. Nearly 70 percent of Americans report that financial stress causes anxiety or disrupts sleep.
Shanna is an accomplished public sector servant with extensive experience leading statewide programs that advance workforce safety well being, organizational effectiveness, and operational excellence within Caltrans. With nearly two decades of state of California service, including over 14 years at Caltrans, Shanna has developed a distinguished record of driving strategic initiatives, strengthening enterprise programs, and fostering a culture centered on safety, accountability and employee excellence.
Cecilia brings more than 18 years of combined experience in transportation, infrastructure planning and enterprise support services. Her Caltrans career spans several divisions and program areas. She began in Caltrans Administration at Headquarters, where she led statewide strategic planning and budget analysis. She later supported the Division of Project Management, chairing the Workplan Standards Guide Committee and advancing implementation of the PRSM workload scheduling software.
Marissa first joined Caltrans Legislative Affairs in September 2024, acting as the legislative liaison to Maintenance, Traffic Operations, Safety and Equipment (MOSE), assisting to lead the department’s legislative engagement on a wide range of topics including outdoor advertising, homelessness, suicide deterrence and automated speed enforcement.
Jim was born on March 25, 1943, in Hope, Arkansas. Jim’s family moved to Eureka in 1955. Jim graduated from Eureka High School in 1961. He received an Associate of Arts from College of the Redwoods and briefly attended Cal Poly University for engineering. Jim worked at Simpson Plywood Mill, Humboldt Fire District #1, Redwood Acres Fairgrounds and Caltrans District 1 and retired from Caltrans in 1998.
As an adult, Russ returned to school and got his GED, followed by an AA from College of the Redwoods. He worked for Beneficial Financial and Hyster Company before starting his career at Caltrans in the early 1980s as a resident engineer in construction. Later, he transferred to Traffic Operations so he could be home more and watch his boys’ baseball and football games.
Following military service, James attended Chico State University, where he earned a bachelor of science in business administration. He went on to work as an accountant in Oakland. Eventually, seeking a quieter life outside the city, he began a long career with Caltrans, where he worked his way up from surveyor to transportation engineer.
Since 1921,195 Caltrans employees have been killed on the job. One of the biggest hazards faced by highway workers are inattentive and distracted motorists. Each April, Caltrans honors its fallen employees at the statewide Workers' Memorial. The 36th Annual Workers’ Memorial took place on April 23 in West Sacramento on River Walk Park. Watch the ceremony by clicking on this link. (Photos by Scott Lorenzo)
California's wonderfully diverse topography creates many opportunities for highways to pass from one scenic vista to another. State Route 104 certainly qualifies, paving the way for motorists to experience towns, agriculture and foothills in the span of less than 50 miles. Check out the latest photo gallery by CT News.
An Onramp overall: Before and after
Click on the image of the "old" Caltrans onramp page to compare it with what debuted on April 30.
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