The City of San Luis Obispo will introduce Roadway travelers to five new educational signs across the region’s roads and highways to help reduce litter that ends up in San Luis Obispo Creek.
The signs are installed at geographic boundaries and travelers will see them as they enter the San Luis Obispo Creek Watershed, thanks to a partnership between the City and County of San Luis Obispo, in coordination with Caltrans.
“It can be hard to know what watershed you are travelling through because watershed boundaries don’t match city limits and aren’t obvious to most of us,” said Freddy Otte, City of San Luis Obispo Biologist. “The purpose of these signs is to reduce litter by helping educate the travelling public that there is a big, diverse landscape where all runoff flows towards San Luis Obispo Creek.”
Travelers and commuters can generate a lot of litter and pollution, even with the best intentions. Litter from the highways often end up in our creeks and watershed, harming wildlife, leaching toxins and degrading habitats. There are simple but important actions that all travelers, including commuters, can take that have a positive impact on the local watershed.
Community members and visitors traveling along our roadways are encouraged to help prevent pollution by:
- Firmly securing all cargo with netting or tie downs,
- Removing lightweight objects and trash from open truck beds,
- Fixing engine fluid leaks promptly,
- Inflating tires to the recommended pressure.
The San Luis Obispo Creek watershed signs are visible to travelers at Highway 101 northbound near Avila Beach Drive, Highway 101 Southbound near Stagecoach Road, Highway 227 near Buckley Road, Highway 1 near Paseo De Caballo, and at Los Osos Valley Road near Foothill Boulevard.
“Protecting the health and function of our waterways is paramount, and it’s not a simple task,” said Ann Fletcher, County Stormwater Program Coordinator. “Thousands of travelers drive through the watershed daily, and many more work, live and recreate in the watershed. But most people don’t realize the roadways they’re driving on are connected to San Luis Obispo Creek and our iconic coastline.”
These signs are part of larger ongoing Sustainable SLO efforts to reduce the amount of pollution reaching San Luis Obispo Creek.