A project to replace overhead sign panels and light fixtures on Highway 101 from Milpas Street to Fairview Avenue will begin on Monday, Dec. 1.

Motorists will encounter intermittent overnight lane and ramp closures Sunday night through Friday morning on northbound Highway 101 from 8 p.m. until 5 a.m. and on southbound Highway 101 from 8 p.m. until 7 a.m. No two consecutive ramps will be closed at any time unless it is necessary to ensure worker safety.

All overhead sign panels from Fairview Avenue to Milpas Street will be replaced with reflective signs to increase visibility in wet or foggy conditions.

To further increase nighttime visibility and reduce energy consumption and replacement costs, all of the lighting fixtures on these overhead signs from Fairview Avenue to Milpas Street will be retrofitted with Inductive Sign Lights and electroliers near the Castillo Street ramps will receive LED lights.

This project will add 12 additional lights to improve nighttime visibility on southbound Highway 101 from the Ortega Street pedestrian bridge to the southbound Highway 101 on-ramp at Castillo Street. Reflective strips will be added to the median barrier and metal beam guard railings to improve nighttime delineation in select locations, while “no pedestrian crossing” signs will be added at on/off ramps to deter pedestrians from accessing Highway 101.

These improvements are intended to reduce the pattern of nighttime collisions along this section of Highway 101. The contractor for this $555,000 safety project is Traffic Development Services of Moorpark. This project is expected to be completed in January.

Caltrans reminds motorists to move over and slow down when driving through highway work zones.

For traffic updates on other state highway projects in Santa Barbara County, call Caltrans District 5 Public Affairs at 805.568.0858 or visit the District 5 website by clicking here.

— Jim Shivers is a public information officer for Caltrans.